I stood there, unable to move. My thoughts were scattered everywhere, crashing into each other like broken pieces of glass. Memories I couldn't place kept flashing through my mind, and no matter how hard I tried, nothing connected. It felt like I had been dropped into a story I didn't understand — like I had transmigrated into someone else's life. Every day was becoming more confusing than the last.
I didn't even realize I was walking until I found myself standing in front of Derek's door. My hand was already turning the knob before I could think twice.
"Derek, we need to talk," I said the moment I stepped inside. "Certain things are happening… and I'm starting to wonder if peace or tranquility will ever truly exist for us."
He didn't answer at first. He just stared at me — five minutes, then ten, then fifteen. His eyes were distant, like he was seeing something I couldn't.
"DEREK!" I called out sharply.
He blinked, as if waking up from a trance. Some of the tension in his face eased, but not all of it. He stood up slowly and walked toward me. His eyes were bloodshot, and the worry in them was so heavy it made my chest tighten.
"Something is wrong," he said quietly. "Seriously wrong. We need to find out who we really are… because if we don't, we're doomed."
I searched his face, trying to understand the fear behind his words. "What do you mean?"
He ran a hand through his hair and let out a shaky breath. "I had a dream… or a vision. I don't even know what to call it anymore. I saw a guy who looked exactly like you. He was looking for his sister. He felt like your missing piece… like the two of you were connected somehow. But he didn't have a human aura. Not like us."
I stared at him, my heart beating faster. A guy who looked like me? Looking for his sister? The words settled heavily in my chest. Why did that feel so familiar… and so terrifying at the same time?
Dreams had stopped being just dreams for us. They had become warnings. Clues. The only things keeping us alive.
"That sounds… strange," I said slowly, trying to steady my voice. "But nothing in our lives is making sense anymore. Everything feels scattered. I don't even know where to begin."
Derek's eyes softened as he looked at me. "Start from here," he whispered, gently placing his hand over my heart. "Anything that felt unusual. Anything that didn't belong. I remember when we first confessed our love to each other… something strange happened. And every time we've been intimate since then… something weird happens too."
I knew he was being serious. But a part of me — the desperate, reckless part — was already moving closer to him. If our connection could trigger something, then maybe we needed to stop running from it.
"Then let's do it again," I said quietly, stepping into his space. "Let's see what happens."
"Tiana, this isn't the time for—" His protest died the moment I reached up and began unbuttoning his shirt. I pressed slow kisses along his neck, feeling his body react instantly. His hands found my waist as the air between us grew thick and heavy.
This time, I wasn't just trying to feel close to him. I was searching. Searching for answers in the only place that had ever given us any.
When it was over, we lay tangled in the sheets, breathing hard. Derek was quiet for a long moment before he suddenly sat up.
"I remember something," he said, his voice low. "Phoenix Rulers. I think… I think that's what we're looking for. We need to go to the library. The fantasy section. I don't know why, but I feel like the answers are there."
He dressed quickly, and I followed, my mind still spinning. We were just approaching the grand library doors when Becky suddenly appeared in front of us. She looked shaken — her usual sharp composure was cracked.
I instinctively moved closer to Derek, slipping my arm around his waist. My body reacted before my mind could catch up. Possessive. Protective.
"Good morning, Your Majesties," Becky said, her voice slightly unsteady. "My official leave starts today… but I was wondering if I could skip it this time. Am I allowed?"
I studied her carefully, tilting my head. A small, cold chuckle escaped my lips before I could stop it. "That was quite sweet of you, Becky. But I think you need some distance from my annoying temper, as you so kindly described it. So go. Travel. Drown whatever's bothering you in wine… or whatever else you desire. You're dismissed."
She nodded, but her eyes lingered on me for a second too long. There was something dark in them. Something that made my skin prickle. She turned and left without another word. Minutes later, my monitor confirmed she was already heading to Turkey.
I pushed open the heavy library doors. The familiar scent of old books and ancient power wrapped around me like a forgotten memory. I had been here before… with someone. The face was blurred, but the feeling of closeness remained.
We moved through the aisles until something caught my eye — a book tucked away in the fictional section. It looked different from the others. The material was strange, almost alive. I pulled it out and opened it.
My breath stopped.
It was handwritten.
And the handwriting… was mine.
I stared at the pages, feeling like the ground beneath me had shifted. Before I could say anything, something moved behind us. A hidden passage slowly creaked open, revealing darkness on the other side.
I took a step forward, my heart hammering against my ribs. I called out to Derek, and he followed without hesitation.
The moment we stepped inside, the walls began to tremble. Thin streaks of glowing gold started spreading across the stone like veins of light. My heart raced faster than I could control.
Was this our end… or the beginning of everything we had been searching for?