Devon took a step forward.
Slow.
Controlled.
But there was nothing calm about him.
"Don't test me," he said.
Jeremy let out a short laugh.
"I already am."
Tania tried to pull her hand free again.
"Can you both stop acting crazy and just—"
Jeremy's grip tightened.
She winced.
"Stay out of this," he said without looking at her.
That was the wrong thing to say.
Tania's eyes hardened.
"I'm literally the reason you're fighting, idiot."
Jeremy glanced at her, unimpressed.
"Exactly."
Before she could snap back—
Devon moved.
Fast.
He crossed the distance between them in seconds and grabbed Jeremy's arm, forcing his hand off Tania.
"Enough."
Jeremy's smile dropped.
Not completely.
But enough.
"You don't get to walk in here and take what's in my room," he said.
Tania blinked.
"Excuse me?"
Devon didn't even look at her.
"She's not yours."
Jeremy tilted his head slightly.
"Then why is she here? In my room?"
"Because you brought her here."
"And you brought her into this palace," Jeremy shot back. "What's the difference?"
Devon's jaw tightened.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then—
Tania stepped back, rubbing her wrist.
"I'm not an object you two can argue over."
Neither of them answered.
That irritated her.
A lot.
"Did you both suddenly lose your hearing or what?"
Jeremy finally looked at her again.
"You should be quiet right now."
Tania laughed.
"Oh, now you want me quiet? That's funny."
Devon's voice cut through.
"Tania."
She turned to him.
"What?"
"Come here."
Her brows pulled together.
"…No."
Jeremy smirked.
"Looks like she doesn't listen to you either."
That did it.
Devon's gaze darkened.
"Tania," he said again, slower this time.
She hesitated.
Just for a second.
And Jeremy noticed.
Of course he did.
"Oh?" he said softly. "So you do listen… a little."
Tania clenched her jaw.
"I don't listen," she snapped. "I just don't want to be in this room anymore."
She walked past Jeremy, heading straight toward the door.
Devon stepped aside just enough to let her pass.
But as she moved—
Her shoulder brushed his.
And something shifted.
Again.
That same strange pull.
Sharp.
Immediate.
Tania froze for half a second.
So did Devon.
Jeremy noticed that too.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"What was that?" he asked.
Neither of them answered.
Tania shook it off quickly and kept walking.
"I'm leaving."
This time, no one stopped her.
—
The hallway felt colder.
Or maybe it was just her.
Tania leaned against the wall for a second, closing her eyes.
"Get it together," she muttered.
Her heart was still beating too fast.
Her body still felt off.
And now—
That weird feeling when she touched Devon.
"What is wrong with me?"
She pushed herself off the wall and started walking again.
Faster this time.
She needed space.
She needed to think.
But before she could get far—
A hand grabbed her arm.
She flinched instantly.
"Relax," a familiar voice said.
Thiago.
She turned to him, slightly annoyed.
"Do people in this palace not know how to walk normally without grabbing someone?"
He smiled.
"Where's the fun in that?"
Tania pulled her arm free.
"I'm not in the mood."
Thiago studied her face for a second.
"You look like you just walked out of a battlefield."
"Close enough."
His smile faded just a little.
"Jeremy?"
She didn't answer.
Which was answer enough.
Thiago sighed.
"He doesn't like things he can't control."
"Good," Tania said. "Because I'm not controllable."
That brought the smile back.
"I can see that."
There was a pause.
Then—
"You should be careful," he added.
Tania frowned.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?"
"Because you're standing in the middle of something you don't understand yet."
She crossed her arms.
"Then explain it."
Thiago shook his head.
"Not my place."
"That's annoying."
"I get that a lot."
Tania rolled her eyes.
"Great."
Before she could say anything else—
Footsteps.
Fast.
Heavy.
Both of them turned.
Devon.
He was walking straight toward them.
And he didn't look calm.
At all.
"Tania," he said the moment he reached her.
"What?" she snapped.
He grabbed her wrist.
Not rough.
But firm.
"You're coming with me."
She pulled back immediately.
"No, I'm not."
His grip didn't loosen.
"Yes, you are."
Thiago watched them quietly, his expression thoughtful.
"Problem?" he asked casually.
Devon didn't look at him.
"No."
"Looks like a problem."
"It's not."
Tania tried to pull away again.
"Can you stop dragging me around like I don't have a choice?"
Devon finally looked at her.
"You don't."
Her eyes flashed.
"Oh, I do."
For a second, it looked like she might actually fight him again.
Then—
That same feeling hit her.
Stronger this time.
Her breath caught.
Her body stilled.
Devon felt it too.
His grip tightened slightly.
"Tania…" he said quietly.
She looked up at him.
Confused.
Frustrated.
"What is this?"
He didn't answer.
Because he didn't know.
Thiago's gaze sharpened.
He saw it.
Whatever was happening between them—
It wasn't normal.
"Okay," he muttered under his breath. "That's definitely new."
Tania tried to move again.
And this time—
Something responded.
That same force from before.
It flickered around her.
Unstable.
Uncontrolled.
The air around them shifted.
Devon's expression changed instantly.
"Tania, stop."
"I'm not doing anything!"
The pressure grew.
Not strong enough to throw anyone this time—
But enough to be felt.
Enough to be dangerous.
Thiago took a step back.
"Yeah… she's not in control."
Tania's breathing became uneven.
"I said I'm not—"
The force spiked.
Sharp.
Sudden.
The windows along the hallway cracked.
A loud sound echoed through the palace.
And then—
Everything went still.
Dead still.
Tania froze.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"I didn't—"
Devon stepped closer immediately.
"What did you just do?"
"I don't know!"
Her voice was shaky now.
Not scared.
But overwhelmed.
This wasn't something she understood.
This wasn't something she could control.
And that made it worse.
Devon stared at her for a long second.
Then grabbed her arm again.
"We're going somewhere else."
"No—wait—"
But he didn't stop.
Thiago watched them go, his expression no longer amused.
"Yeah…" he murmured to himself.
"This is going to be a problem."
—
Across the palace—
Scott stood by one of the windows, looking out into the night.
He had heard the sound.
Everyone had.
His head tilted slightly.
"That didn't sound normal."
Trinidad stepped beside him.
"It wasn't."
They both looked toward the direction it came from.
Neither of them said it out loud.
But they were thinking the same thing.
Tania.
—
Back in the hallway—
Devon pushed open a door and pulled Tania inside.
She stumbled slightly but caught herself.
"Are you going to tell me what's going on now?" she demanded.
Devon turned to face her.
And this time—
There was no calm.
No control.
Only tension.
"You're going to tell me," he said, "what you are."
Tania stared at him.
Breathing hard.
Confused.
Angry.
"I don't know!"
"Then we find out."
"How?!"
Devon didn't answer.
He just kept looking at her.
Like she was something dangerous.
Something unpredictable.
Something he couldn't afford to lose control over.
Tania took a step back.
"I don't like the way you're looking at me."
He didn't respond.
And somehow—
That made it worse.
Because for the first time—
Tania had a feeling.
A bad one.
That whatever was happening to her…
Was only just beginning.
—
And somewhere deep in the palace—
Something ancient stirred.
Awake.
Interested.
Waiting for her.