I didn't flare up—not yet, anyway. Instead, I settled for giving the most bewildered expression I could muster.
Meanwhile, the doppelganger conjured up a pair of sleek reading glasses out of thin air and handed them to the sword-wielding figure, who accepted them with all the enthusiasm of a kid forced to eat broccoli.
The moment he put them on, the glasses vanished, blending seamlessly into his face like they were part of him. His eyes refocused on me, and suddenly his expression shifted—shock spread across his face.
"It's you!" he exclaimed.
For a split second, I thought he meant me. But no, his gaze was locked on the doppelganger.
"Yes. And no," the doppelganger replied with maddening patience. "He's the one who's going to save this place."
