The streets of Catalania felt colder as we walked, even though the sun was only starting its descent. The city had a dark, foreboding quality to it now, as if the light had been swallowed by the looming tension hanging between us. Sia had hardly said a word since we left the courtyard, but her every movement was sharp, precise. I could feel her eyes flickering around, scanning the surroundings as if expecting someone—or something—to jump out from the shadows at any moment.

I didn’t blame her. I felt like I was about to be swallowed whole by this world I didn’t understand.

“Where are we going?” I asked, breaking the silence that felt heavier with each step we took.

“To someone who knows more than I do,” she replied curtly, her voice low and controlled. "We need answers.”

I swallowed hard, a knot of anxiety twisting in my gut. “I just… I need to know what the hell is going on,” I muttered, more to myself than to her.

She glanced over her shoulder at me. Her gaze was calculating, as if she was trying to figure out how much she should say, how much I could handle. "And I need to figure out why you exist."

I was about to respond, but she held up a hand, stopping me. "Save it. We’ll talk later. Right now, we need to keep moving.”

We turned down a narrow alley, the kind of place where shadows lingered even when the sun was still up. The quiet was thick, pressing in on all sides, and I had to fight the urge to check over my shoulder.

Sia stopped suddenly, her boots scraping against the stone. She turned to face me, her expression unreadable, but there was something in her eyes that made my chest tighten. It wasn’t suspicion anymore; it was something else. Something deeper.

“You don’t get it, do you?” she asked, her voice sharp.

I frowned. "Get what?”

“The way you’re burning right now," she said, her gaze intense as it flicked over me. "You’re like a walking bullseye.”

I blinked, not sure where this was going. "For what?”

“For vampires,” she said flatly, like the answer should’ve been obvious.

I stared at her, trying to process what she was saying. "Vampires?"

She nodded, her expression unwavering. "Untrained Flux users shine like a beacon to them. And they kill them. Every. Single. Time.”

My blood ran cold. “What? Why would they do that?"

“Because,” Sia said, her tone steady, but there was an edge to it now, something almost bitter. "Once you learn how to control Flux, you become the one thing they can’t afford to have running around—a threat.”

Stolen novel; please report.

I blinked, trying to wrap my mind around her words. “A threat? What do you mean?”

Her lips curled into a tight smile, but there was no warmth behind it. "A trained Flux user can kill even the oldest, strongest vampires. They can burn their bodies, disrupt their regeneration, and tear apart their minds. A trained Flux user is an enemy that vampires cannot let survive.”

I felt a wave of nausea roll through me. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I just stared at her, feeling the ground beneath me tilt.

“And they do it fast," she added, her eyes narrowing. "No hesitation, no mercy. They’ll kill you before you get the chance to figure out what you’re doing."

My voice cracked when I spoke. "But... I’m not a warrior. I don’t even know what the hell Flux is supposed to be, and you’re saying they’re hunting me for this?” I gestured vaguely to myself, as if Flux was some sort of disease I’d caught.

She didn’t respond immediately and just stared at me for a moment, her eyes assessing. "That’s exactly why you’re in danger. You’ve got a power inside of you, Kyon, and you don’t even know how to control it. That makes you vulnerable. You’re not a warrior, but that doesn’t matter. You’re a target, and unless you figure out how to control this power, you’re going to be killed."

The weight of her words hit me like a punch to the gut. "So, if I can’t control Flux, I’m dead?” I whispered, the reality of the situation settling in. "Just like that?"

"Yes,” she said, her voice a low growl. "Vampires don’t hesitate when they sense a threat. And right now, you’re burning like a damn flare in the dark. You don’t even realize it, but you’re drawing them in."

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to push back the panic bubbling up inside me. “What do I do? How do I stop it? I didn’t ask for this!” I shook my head, frustrated with myself. "I didn’t ask for any of this."

She took a deep breath, her expression softening just a fraction. "I know. You’re not the first person to find themselves in this situation. But you need to understand—if you want to live, you have to learn to control Flux. Otherwise, someone’s going to make the decision for you.”

I stared at her, the enormity of what she was saying sinking in. My life, as I knew it, had just shifted. The world I thought I understood—the one where I was just a kid from Zaria, trying to make a life for myself—was gone. I wasn’t just a student anymore. I wasn’t just trying to fit in. I was a walking weapon, a target, and I had no idea how to defend myself.

“Why didn’t you just kill me then?” I asked quietly, almost afraid of the answer.

She looked at me, and for the briefest moment, something flickered in her eyes—pity, maybe, or regret. “Because I’m not sure what you are yet. You’re not a vampire. I can feel that. You’re different. And you’re not like the others who come in here thinking they can fight. You don’t even know what you’re capable of. And until you do Kyon, I can’t just kill you.”

I blinked, still trying to process what she was saying. That was the first time she’d called me by my name—Kyon—and I wasn’t sure when exactly it had happened. She’d been so guarded when we first met, not even looking at me directly, but somehow, in the heat of this mess, she had shifted from being distant to... I don’t know... protective, in her own way. The name had slipped out naturally, like she had known it all along.

I hesitated for a moment, still processing everything she had said. But then, another thought surfaced. “I never caught your name,” I said, my voice softer than I intended.

She glanced at me, her pace unaltered. “Sia,” she replied simply, her voice still sharp but not without the faintest trace of something that felt almost... human.

“So... what now?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “What happens now?”

Her eyes hardened, and she stepped closer, her voice low and firm. “Now? We figure out what you are. And we make sure no vampire ever gets close enough to kill you. Because if they do, it’s not just you they’ll be after.”

I felt a chill spread through me, a sharp, icy fear that made my knees feel weak. I was in deeper than I’d ever imagined. And I had no idea how to get out.