POV: Celeste
The elevator doors opened on the fiftieth floor, and I ran straight into chaos.
Smoke filled the hallway. The beautiful glass walls were shattered. And in the middle of Lucian's office, two men fought like animals.
Lucian and Adrian.
Blood streaked Lucian's face. His expensive suit was torn. But his eyes those storm gray eyes burned with pure fury.
Adrian looked worse. Or maybe better, depending on how you saw it. He moved too fast, too strong. His eyes glowed with an unnatural light.
Magic. He really had been enhanced.
You think you can have her? Adrian snarled, swinging a blade that caught the light. The same blade from my vision. She's mine! Everything she has is mine!
Lucian dodged, barely. She was never yours. You just hadn't figured that out yet.
They crashed together again. The sound of impact made me flinch.
I had to do something. Had to stop this.
But how?
Then Adrian saw me.
His whole face changed. The rage melted into something worse twisted joy.
Celeste! He shoved Lucian away and turned toward me. Perfect. Now we can end this properly.
Stay back! Lucian lunged between us, but Adrian was faster.
The enhanced speed carried him across the room in a blink. His hand closed around my throat, lifting me off the ground.
I couldn't breathe. Couldn't scream.
I gave you everything, Adrian hissed in my face. His breath smelled like copper and chemicals. And you threw it away for him? For this corporate monster?
Black spots danced in my vision.
Then Lucian hit Adrian like a freight train.
They went down together, rolling across broken glass. I collapsed, gasping, my throat on fire.
Run! Lucian shouted. Get out!
But I couldn't move. Could barely breathe.
Adrian kicked Lucian off him and stood. He still had the knife. Blood dripped from the blade Lucian's blood.
You want her so badly? Adrian said. Then watch her die.
He came at me.
Everything slowed down.
I saw the knife. Saw Adrian's twisted smile. Saw my death coming.
And I remembered the vision. The silver light exploding from my hands.
I didn't think. I just reacted.
I threw my hands up and screamed, STOP!
Light erupted from my palms.
Brilliant, blinding silver light that slammed into Adrian like a wall. He flew backward, crashed through Lucian's desk, and didn't get up.
The light faded.
I stared at my hands, shaking. What... what did I just do?
Lucian was on his feet instantly, moving to Adrian's unconscious body. He checked for a pulse, then looked at me with something like awe in his eyes.
You awakened, he breathed. Your power. It's real.
I don't understand
Later. Lucian pulled out his phone. Iris, I need a cleanup crew on fifty. And get medical. He looked at me. Are you hurt?
I shook my head, though my throat still ached.
Security flooded the office. They secured Adrian with what looked like magical restraints glowing chains that hummed with energy.
Iris appeared, calm as ever despite the destruction. Sir, should we call the authorities?
No. Lucian's voice was cold. Take him to the holding cells downstairs. I'll deal with him personally.
Holding cells? I croaked. You have prison cells in your building?
Lucian finally looked at me. Really looked. His face softened. Are you okay?
You're bleeding.
I'll heal. He touched his side where his shirt was soaked red. You're more important.
Two weeks later, I'd almost convinced myself that night had been a fever dream.
Almost.
I lived on the fortieth floor now, in an apartment that made my old penthouse look like a closet. Everything was provided furniture, clothes, food. I didn't have to think about money or safety or anything.
It should've felt like a prison.
Instead, it felt like the first real home I'd had since Mom died.
Every morning, I took the elevator to the penthouse. Lucian's private art collection filled an entire wing paintings worth millions, sculptures from ancient civilizations, pieces most people would never see.
My job was to catalog everything, research provenance, recommend acquisitions.
It was my dream job.
Except for the part where my boss was the man destined to die for me, and I'd apparently developed magical powers that could explode from my hands without warning.
Small details.
Lucian was always there when I worked. At his desk, on phone calls, in meetings with people who looked terrified of him.
He was exactly as ruthless as his reputation. I watched him destroy a competitor's deal with three sentences. Watched him fire someone for being five minutes late. Watched grown men shake when he looked at them.
But with me? Different.
He remembered I liked my coffee black with two sugars. Remembered I hated cilantro. Remembered everything.
When I worked late, food appeared. When I looked tired, he'd order me to rest. When anyone entered the room, he positioned himself between us like a shield.
His staff noticed. I heard the whispers.
He's never like this.
She must be special.
Maybe she's the one.
I tried to ignore it.
But then there was tonight.
We sat in his office at midnight, both mirrors on the desk between us. Lucian had found ancient books about Mirror Keepers the order of women Mom had belonged to.
Listen to this, Lucian said, reading. 'Mirror Keepers don't just see fate. They can manipulate it. Bend it. Change it. Their power manifests as silver light that can alter destiny threads.'
That's what I did, I said quietly. When I stopped Adrian.
Yes. Lucian looked up. You changed what should've happened. The vision showed him killing you. Instead, you knocked him unconscious.
So the visions can be wrong?
Not wrong. Just... changeable. He closed the book. Every choice creates new possibilities. New futures.
I stared at the mirrors. Why are you really helping me, Lucian?
He was quiet for a long time.
Because the mirror showed me your death too, he finally said. His voice was barely a whisper. Multiple times. Different scenarios. Car crashes. Stabbings. Poisoning. Falls. And in every single one, I failed to save you.
The vulnerability in his voice broke something in my chest.
That's why you brought me here, I realized. Not just to save me from Adrian. To save me from everything.
Yes.
That's insane.
That's love. He'd said it before. But this time, it felt different. Real.
I stood up, my heart pounding. You can't love me. You don't even know me.
I know you take your coffee black with two sugars. I know you bite your lip when you're concentrating. I know you cry during sad movies even when you try to hide it. I know you're stronger than you think and braver than you believe. Lucian stood too, coming around the desk. I've studied you for five years, Celeste. I know you better than anyone.
That's creepy.
I know. He smiled slightly. But it's true.
We stood there, inches apart, the mirrors gleaming between us.
I should hate you, I whispered.
You should.
You ruined my life.
To save it.
That doesn't make it okay.
I know.
My hands were shaking. But I don't hate you. And that scares me more than anything.
Lucian reached out slowly, giving me time to pull away. When I didn't, he touched my face. His thumb brushed my cheekbone.
You scare me too, he admitted. Because you're the only thing in the world I can't control. Can't predict. Can't plan for.
Is that why you keep me close?
I keep you close because I can't breathe when you're not near. His other hand came up, cradling my face. And I've tried, Celeste. I've tried to stay away, keep this professional. But I can't.
My heart hammered. Lucian
The lights went out.
All of them. The entire building plunged into darkness.
Emergency lights didn't kick on. Nothing.
What's happening? I grabbed Lucian's arm.
His phone was dead. Everything was dead.
Then the mirrors started glowing.
Both of them, pulsing with silver light in the darkness.
That's not normal, Lucian said.
The light grew brighter. Brighter. Until the whole office was bathed in it.
And in that light, a figure appeared.
A woman. Ancient. Glowing. Her eyes were solid white.
The Oracle, Lucian breathed.
The woman smiled. Hello, Mirror Keeper. Hello, Shadow Mage. It's time we talked about what you're trying to do.
Who are you? I demanded.
I'm the one who gave your ancestors the mirrors, she said. And I'm here to warn you: changing fate has a price. A price you might not be willing to pay.