The bathroom was quiet. Mika stood in front of the mirror, washing his hands in the sink. The lighting was stark, room empty with two toilets and a bidet. Based on the bland monochrome finishings, he was in the Capitol Building.

  He turned off the faucet and slicked his hair back. He wore a black suit and tie, the AVA’s logo printed on the front in light gray—the same attire he wore at the ball. Mika stepped away from the sink and walked towards Ava. She gasped as he passed through. A cool mist ran through her body in waves and collided at the foot of the floor.

  Mika locked the door and checked the stalls. Alone.

  Like the day he placed the protection spell on her, he confidently drew out blue lines on the mirror into one large scribble like a misshapen letter when she turned her head to the side. Marc never taught her this spell. She didn’t recognize the character either.

  Mika’s reflection moved in small waves as a long, dark leg came from the mirror.

  The Reaper stepped out. A smile curled up his mouth when he stood tall on the bathroom’s tile flooring. Fingers ran down his obsidian pinstriped suit, taking out any wrinkles in his attire. “Did anyone see you?”

  Even in a dream his voice was so hypnotizing.

  “No, but I had to pretend I was sick and throwing up.” Mika glanced at his wristwatch. “And I’m running out of time. I need to be back soon.”

  “Darious has been an obstacle since the day you were reborn. Are you sure you want to continue protecting him? Ending his life would be much easier.”

  Mika pursed his lips. “If you hadn’t attacked Ava, then this wouldn’t be a problem,” he snapped. “I had to cast a warding spell to protect her from you.”

  “And yet, here I am because of you.”

  The Reaper circled Mika. He clasped Mika’s shoulders from behind, and moved so close to his ear, a cool shrill made its way down Ava’s back. “I wonder how she would feel knowing you’re the god of death.”

  “That doesn’t matter.”

  “And yet, it does.” The Reaper flicked Mika's hair. “You've fallen for her charms.”

  Mika didn’t respond.

  The Reaper’s cool gaze suddenly scanned the bathroom interior as if someone were watching. “The gods are coming tonight. This place stinks of their disgusting scents.” He sniffed the air, then wrinkled his nose. “It reeks of strawberries.”

  Mika smiled to himself. “Zephyrus would use Raz as a decoy.”

  I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Mika already knew Raz was the god of desire. He left Ava alone to dance with him, knowing the kind of man he was. If she could touch him in a dream, she’d slap him in the face.

  The Reaper continued lingering close, staying within Mika’s inner circle of comfort. “I need you to get yourself caught and find out if the rumors are true.”

  Mika paid him no mind and tried fixing his tie. The Reaper stood next to him, no longer smiling. “They say the god of slumber has woken up.”

  Mika tensed and stared at the Reaper like he just said the Devil’s name.

  A visible shake overcame his whole body. Fear.

  He grabbed at his hair. “No—no no. This can’t be true. She’s supposed to be asleep. She’s supposed to stay asleep forever. She can’t wake up!”

  “They also say she’s looking for you.”

  Mika grabbed the Reaper by his neck and slammed him against the wall. The temperature dropped as his eyes hardened—lifeless. Black smoke seeped from his clothes in foggy wisps, engulfing the area. Ava saw her own breath.

  Dark electricity sparked in his hand, cracking the mirror from a loose bolt. His hair rose in its current. Ava stepped back as shards broke on the tile floor.

  The Reaper laughed. Mika tightened his grip. “If you are playing me for a fool, Reaper, I will chain you to this bathroom for eternity.”

  His voice darkened, chilling, like that time she sat on his lap. How he used that voice to whisper in her ear.

  “Then stop wavering and go do your task for once,” the Reaper said.

  There was a knock on the bathroom door and then another. Visibly shaken, Mika released his iron grip and dispersed the dark fog. He quietly turned towards the mirror to stare at his own reflection. His eyes were just as hollow as the Reapers and just as cold and calculating as any killers.

  “I’ll do it, but not at the expense of putting Ava in unnecessary danger.”

  “She will be your downfall,” the Reaper whispered like a demon on his shoulder.

  Mika ran a quick hand through his hair before exiting the bathroom, but it only worsened his appearance. A large man stood by the door, patting down the beads of sweat rolling off his forehead. He flinched when he caught Mika’s gaze and hurried into the bathroom without another word.

▽ ▽ ▽

  Ava opened her eyes. The ceiling blurred in and out as she woke up.

  She took a deep breath. Air filled her lungs, fresh life filled her. The sound of a heart monitor relayed her frantic heart beats, and how they increased as she sat up. At least tried to, but the world just kept spinning. Her head was pounding.

  “She’s awake.”

  Gio helped Caterina from the recliner by the bed. Dark bags weighed under her eyes, aging her face and body. She unsteadily walked towards Ava. Tears pressed into Ava’s shoulder when Caterina embraced her, couldn’t stop shaking.

  Ava buried her nose into her mom’s hair. It came so naturally as did the familiar scent of lilacs. Being like this felt more real than a dream. Ava thought she’d never get to feel her mom’s hugs again—never get to feel her soothing fingers. So surreal. So heartbreaking.

  Caterina carefully dapped under her eyes, away from the mascara. “You are in so much trouble, young lady. Making me worry about you day and night.”

  Gio sighed, gently took her shoulders. “I told you it was better to rest. It's not good for your health.”

  He helped their mom sit down in the chair. She let out a deep breath and took a sip of water sitting nearby. The glass visibly trembled in her hand; water sloshed over the sides. This was all Ava’s fault. She trusted Marc to guide her and it only led to her downfall. Marc’s betrayal caused their mom to get sicker.

  This is all my fault. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for letting you down.”

  The tears finally fell and felt like they would never stop. Ava wiped her eyes with her palms until Josh handed her a cloth handkerchief. “What are you babbling about? You ended the battle with that one fucking arrow. I’ve never seen a Prim run so fast.” He side eyed Gio. “No offense.”

  She grabbed fistfulls of the sheets, tears stained the bedding. “Marc was the mole. He spoke to Zephyrus… He betrayed us. And I—I gave Marc access to everything.”

  Josh’s face twisted into pure rage. He paced the room. This was serious. Marc had access to everything in the UFE. Ava gave him that power right after the Council stripped her of her duties. He knew all their secrets. I’m responsible for whatever’s about to happen next.

  Leo walked through the door in time to stop Josh from destroying everything in Ava’s room. He set the doctor’s bag on her bed. “Josh, what did I tell you about your breathing treatments.” It came out as a statement, more so than a question.

  When he didn’t respond, Leo began the mantra he taught everyone. “Breathe in, breathe out… Breathe in, breathe out… ” He took out the MRI scanner and told Ava, “Now hold still for a second.”

  Leo waved the wand over her head in quick movements. She could care less about the results. “I don’t hear you breathing,” he called out to Josh. “Breathe in… Breathe out… Breathe in… Breathe out…”

  Once he finished, words ran by above the wands handle like watching the end of the movie credits. They left digital footprints, specks scattering about. Leo’s eyes ignited with curiosity and intrigue. An expression Ava hasn’t seen in two years.

  “What’s wrong?” Gio asked, reading over Leo’s shoulder.

  “Her brain has developed more gray matter,” he said, asking her, “Do you feel any different? How’s your sight, hearing, and smell?”

  Ava glanced around the room, finding colors to be more vibrant. The air tasted pure and cleaner than before. She could even hear shoes tapping across the hardwood floors in the hallway as if they were right beside her.

  “I have a slight headache and everything else feels more heightened. Like everything’s in high definition,” Ava trailed off when she noticed those missing. “Where’s Mika and Sam?”

  No one spoke. Amber continued checking her vitals. Mom set her half empty glass on the nightstand. Josh finally relaxed and started making calls. Gio looked away. No, he looked at the door.

  Their reactions had her asking again. “Where is Mika and Sam?”

  After scrolling through her results, Leo packed the MRI scanner away. “Ava, you’ve been asleep for five days. That's three days longer than your normal time of recovery. We weren’t sure when you’d wake up since your body has changed drastically—”

  “That doesn’t answer my question,” she snapped. “Where are—”

  “Sam's with Mika in his room,” Gio said.

  Confused by Gio’s wording, she searched his eyes. He clenched his teeth reluctant to say anymore, and it showed in his vague manner of speaking. “Kay told us Mika’s energy was low when you guys were at her bar,” he said. “And because he used more energy to break inside that spell, what he used during the spell to save you just—”

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  “He depleted all his energy,” Leo finished.

  No.

  “He's been slowly accumulating energy back, but we’re unsure how long it will take him to regain consciousness. That's assuming he will wake up again.”

  No. No, this can’t be happening. It can't be true.

  “For right now, we've made him as comfortable as possible. There's little we can do until his grandfather—”

  Ava yanked the IV out of her arm and flung the covers off. Amber protested. Caterina scolded her. Gio watched her go. That all disappeared the moment she stumbled across the hall and into Mika’s room. She leaned on the threshold for support.

  Sitting idly by his bed, a heart monitor beeped a consistent rhythm. He sounded so calm and relaxed, he looked like he was just asleep. Ava still couldn’t believe it. Even as she got closer, she imagined Mika pulling her on the bed in a sudden surprise attack. Imagined him smiling and laughing, happy that he got the upperhand for once.

  She rested a hand on his arm, beneath the solution pumping into his veins. “Mika. Mika, wake up,” she said. Her lips trembled when he didn’t respond. “Mika, this isn’t funny. Stop playing around.”

  He didn’t move.

  He didn’t grasp her hand.

  He didn’t intertwine their fingers.

  Ava pushed on his torso, she tried to shake him awake. It only moved him across the bed. His head flopped to the side on the pillow, his eyes remained shut. With his lips slightly parted, it reminded Ava of the time he died as a kid.

  The image of his serene expression just before death took him.

  “Wake up! Mika, wake up!” She repeated over and over, shaking him harder, trying to wake him up the only way she knew how to.

  Her shoulders were grabbed from behind.

  Ava whipped around in anger and lost all her breath. He stood there, just a hair-breaths away, but that wasn’t right. She looked back at the bed and shook her head into her palms. Mika was still sleeping. No, this couldn’t be happening. They were so identical, for a split second, she confused Sam with Mika. Sam pressed Ava’s head to his shoulder, and it made her cry. She clung to his shirt, pressed close.

  Murmurs increased in the hallway. Gregori’s voice pricked her ears. She peered over Sam’s shoulder. When the door flew open, she gasped as Sam squeezed her closer. The twins’ grandfather stood in the threshold.

  King Nikai of Amaranthine.

  His beauty shinned even during the most somber of times. With his draped clothing, the starry gold and white fabric adorned his body in a way that’d confuse anyone who questioned his sex. He was beautiful in every way possible. There was no comparison to any gods, just a reminder that he was a purebred peacock, while Ava was a mere modified hen.

  As the door closed behind him, shutting them off from everyone outside in the hall, Sam let Ava go and scurried back to the wall at a safe distance. But it didn’t matter. Frostbite accumulated in his grandfather’s eyes. Sam looked down at the floor, frightened, but he shouldn’t worry. His grandfather was staring directly at Ava.

  Their grandfather’s hand left the confounds of the long sleeves, bringing out a small glass vial filled with honey substance. Its crystal, teardrop shape brought about nostalgia, reminding Ava of tree sap. Honey dripped from its container. Each drip turned into air, waving through the room like an enchantment. The chattering dulled outside as if they were now standing in a soundproof room.

  “Restrain her.” His voice came out in such a strong, captive way, Ava almost missed the Ama words he spoke.

  Darious walked out from behind King Nikai and straight for Ava. She backed away before he could reach her, but she was too scared to truly escape. Ava knocked into the IV pole. He came to a halt at her side, yet she still expected the worst.

  Darious whispered under his breath, “I don’t want to hurt you. This will be less painful if you don’t resist.”

  He grasped her arms from behind before she could think. His restraint turned her instincts into overdrive. So many ideas popped up, of ways to escape, where to run and hide. From the hallway, she could faintly hear Caterina making threats and Gregori trying to calm her down. He gave in to whatever demands King Nikai was after. I’m on my own.

  King Nikai walked with such grace. Tiny diamonds hung off his hair, they absorbed the sun’s rays and reflected rainbows upon the shade of midnight. With each step, he carefully plucked each finger of their glove, until they were completely uncovered. Fear grew at the pit of Ava’s stomach when he stopped in front of her. She waited for her second death.

  But it never came. Instead, he covered her forehead, his palm flat on her skin. Images flashed before Ava’s eyes.

  A blushing Mika and his wide eyes. He hovered above her on the floor after he was pushed out of the portal and into her living room. The first time they held hands. Their fight during training. The times he held her in his arms. The moment they kissed in the desert sand and again in the basement. Everything flashed by like pictures.

  The memories sped through. There was no time to keep up, to understand what she was seeing. The longer this went on, she eventually gave in to this strange ability until they reached the memories of Marc.

  Ava jerked back. With a steady hand, Darious’ grip tightened. He strapped her down in place when she wanted to run away as far as possible.

  The images began when Ava first fell from the tree and landed on Marc. The moment she fell in love with Marc’s beautiful cosmos. How they grew closer, became friends, holding one another. How she let him tie a red string around her heart and followed his lead blindly. She shook and trembled the closer they got to the memory that started all this hate.

  And when it came, Ava wasn’t prepared. It was traumatizing experiencing it over, again. The yelling, the scorching burn around her neck and strangled cries. The moment he pushed her towards death. Ava cried out in pain. Their grandfather didn’t stop. He continued sifting through her memories, watching their fight, watching as the sword plunged through his chest. Marc whispered his last words. I’m sorry… Ash…

  They came back to the present, back in Mika’s room.

  When King Nikai finally removed his palm, Ava nearly collapsed onto the floor. Her brain was exhausted, mind swirled with the feeling of it being invaded. Darious sat her on the bed. She couldn’t stop shaking. They were just memories. Just memories.

  Cautiously, she watched as he subtly paced around the bed. He pushed hair away from Mika’s face, and gazed at him for such a long time. After a few minutes, he tipped Mika’s head to the side and revealed a large plaster tapped over his neck.

  In one fell swoop, he ripped it clean off.

  A tattoo lined the nape of Mika’s neck with simple circles and stars. She couldn’t decipher the characters written out along each circle. They were neither Ama nor any language she knew. And its hue was light brown, almost as if it were a simple henna tattoo, but knowing what they did, this tattoo was permanent. Another curse mark.

  Shaken, Ava gently touched her neck and found a plaster stuck in the exact same spot. She wanted to rip it off, to confirm that it was true. But she stopped herself. Who else knew about this mark? Could she trust anyone outside of this room?

  It wasn’t long before their grandfather placed the plaster back on Mika’s neck. “I am sorry for what transpired between you and Marcoussis,” he said in the Ama tongue. “But I am more sorry for what has occurred between you and Mikaela.”

  His words caught Ava off guard. She wasn’t sure how to react. It didn’t matter as he continued, “It’s my fault for not correctly educating my grandchildren on the history behind this curse mark. So for this, I will take responsibility for my negligence. But you must know, I can’t be responsible for his actions any longer. His life is now in your hands.”

  Mika’s life was already in her hands, many times before. What difference did this make? And how could he apologize so easily? Marc said his grandfather was a cruel man. It seemed even those were lies.

  King Nikai clarified. “Let me make it simple. Your lives are now connected. If Mika dies then you will die too. If you die, then you will take Mika with you. Do you understand?”

  Ava froze. It was too much to process. Too much pressure. I can’t believe this is happening. I can’t believe we stupidly completed that spell when we know nothing about it!

  But when she gazed at Mika, it didn’t feel so stupid. She felt thankful that he was the one who jumped in. Ava took his hand, not caring anymore if his grandfather disapproved, and said, “Yes.”

  Satisfied, a small faint smile crossed King Nikai’s lips. “Then you will understand my reason for what I’m about to do next.”

  As he approached the door, he slipped his silk gloves back on. The moment it opened, the magic disappeared. Fresh air filled the room. A flurry of questions, concerns, and complaints bombarded the silence—echoed against the walls. It was too much for Ava’s ears.

  King Nikai didn’t respond. Instead, his eyes traced the dark leather couch before skimming the top with his fingertips. He hid his feelings well behind a pair of long lashes. He kept such a calm and collected demeanor, Ava envied him.

  Gregori held both hands behind his back in a firm stance and tested the waters. “Am I to understand our terms have changed?”

  “Yes, with these new turn of events, the terms have changed,” King Nikai stated in English this time. His voice commanded the room masterfully, it had Gregori standing taller, to appear more authoritative.

  “We will continue to provide aid through our resources. However, I can no longer allow my grandchildren to help you in the war against Primordial,” King Nikai said. “After Mikaela has awakened, he will return to Amaranthine with me—including Avalyn.”

  So this is it. This is what he meant. Ava always knew if she got involved with an Ama prince this was a possibility. But she never dreamed it would come. Not with Mika. Not with Marc. She always expected death. She squeezed Mika’s hand. Instead, she got both.

  They will take me from the only home I know.

  Gregori stepped forward. “There must be a compromise we can make regarding Ava. We are on the brink of the final battle, and she is our top fighter—”

  “And yet, she accepted such sacrifices when she entered into a covenant with my grandchild. No, when she pursued an Ama prince—”

  “She is a human!”

  “She is a Doku! And now an Ama!” King Nikai slammed his fist down on the couch, and like a mallet it sealed Ava’s fate. “She will never be an Earthling again.”

  A deadly silence overcame the room. It made it hard to breathe. His words replayed in the back of her mind, over and over, until she felt her humanity slip away.

  Caterina stayed quiet and clasped her hands together in a tight hold. She glared King Nikai down with so much malice seeping through her cold, hard eyes. Unlike her mom, Gio showed no hint of anger in his demeanor.

  He stepped forward and held King Nikai’s gaze. “But you can’t just take her away and lock her up. This is her home,” he said. “We’re her family.”

  King Nikai eyed Gio for a moment, analyzing him as if there were some hidden motive behind his actions. “And would she want to stay? Her physical appearance has changed enough that no human will accept her for who she is. While my people will praise her for being born a species we consider godly.”

  I look different? Ava searched her arms. Her skin was still brown, but as she looked down, a piece of her hair slipped by. It was darker, different, lacking its usual curl at the end.

  As she hesitantly touched the strand, shoes tapped the floor until King Nikai’s decorated boots were in her line of sight. She looked up, only to find him peering at Mika. “You should consider yourself lucky to be born a Doku. It’s through this lineage, I will grant you the right to marry Mikaela and be honored with the title of Princess.”

  Princess? Did I hear that correctly, or am I hallucinating, again?

  He flicked his wrist with such swift movements. Sam understood the silent communication and walked over. He embraced her for a second time, which just reconfirmed what his grandfather said to be true. I am going to be an Ama princess.

  “Watch over him, while I’m gone,” Sam whispered. “I’ll be back as quick as I can.”

  King Nikai rested his hand on Sam’s shoulder, breaking them up for the second time today. Filled with worry, Sam took one last look at Mika before they vanished from the room. And without another moment, Ava went into Mika’s bathroom. No one stopped her. They were too busy planning, chatting, to take notice.

  She lingered in the doorway, hesitant to turn on the bathroom light, because she could already see how much her hair had changed. It was darker, nearly black. Less curly, more wavy. And was it floating?

  Ava flicked the light on and froze.

  Black eyes stared back from the mirror. Eyes that were as cold as ice. Feared and darkness coiled around her heart. The same terror she experienced. The same eyes she stared into countless times.

  She slammed into the threshold. The pain didn’t register with her brain, nor the pain from the scratches she inflicted on her face, her hair, her skin. Because it wasn’t just her eyes, but her whole body. Everything changed to fit the appearance of a reaper.

  Ava screamed.

▽