The fireplace's warmth did little to ease the chill settling into Draco's bones. Seventeen wasn't here, and her absence felt like a gaping hole in the group. Yet, there was a strange resolve binding them together now—something more tangible than the prophecy, something forged in the truth Noah and Lilith had shared.
Noah's voice broke through the heavy silence. "There's more you should know about Serpentpire. Ophiuchus isn't like any other district. We don't function the way you're used to—because we can't afford to. Everything here, every person, every skill, exists in the shadows. The Kingdom has tried to erase us, to bury our existence. But we survived."
His gaze swept over them, lingering on each of the six as if weighing their readiness to hear what came next. Draco straightened, his attention unwavering.
"Serpentpire," Noah continued, "isn't just a place. It's a living entity, a symbol of everything the Kingdom fears. Transformation, chaos, forbidden knowledge—these are the cornerstones of who we are. We thrive on the edge, where others fear to tread."
"Transformation," Sablina murmured, her brow furrowing. "What do you mean by that?"
["He still didn't tell us what their abilities are, or how Seven has the powers of Cancer and Scorpio,"] he thought.
"The people born under the Ophiuchus constellation," Noah explained, "are gifted with powers that transcend anything you've seen before. Serpent summoning, venomous touch, necromancy, soul manipulation, mending, and rebirth magic—just to name a few. These abilities, they're not like what you're used to. They can change the very fabric of reality, reshape it."
["It wasn't healing magic, then, it was mending. That explains the strength of it. I've seen mentions of it from ancient texts I read in Whiteland. But still doesn't answer how she possesses shadow manipulation."]
Draco could see the shock settling into the faces of his friends. Even he, with all his training and his understanding of balance manipulation, felt a deep unease. These powers weren't just dangerous—they were volatile.
"And Seventeen?" Hunter asked, his voice low. "She has all of these abilities?"
Noah nodded solemnly. "Yes. And more."
More. Draco swallowed hard. He had known Seventeen was powerful, but hearing it laid out like this—it was overwhelming. She wasn't just stronger than any of them; she was something else entirely. Something... beyond.
"Seventeen's abilities are unique even among Ophiuchans," Lilith added, stepping forward. "She was born in the transition between Scorpio and Ophiuchus, which makes her even more dangerous. She wields the full range of Ophiuchan powers, and because of her connection to the Grimoire of Chaos, she holds magic long thought lost to humanity."
["That explains the shadow magic."]
"The Grimoire of Chaos? Is that the ancient artifact bound to her that you mentioned?" Claus echoed, his eyes narrowing. "That title sounds... ominous."
Lilith's lips pressed into a thin line. "It is. The Grimoire is the ancient artifact, bound to Seventeen and her alone. Its power is immense, but it's also uncontrollable. It would drive any person mad. But Seventeen—she's different. She's strong enough to withstand it, though she struggles to control it. Every thing it grants her, also requires a heavy price, it's a double-edged sharp blade."
Draco's mind raced. ["How had Seventeen survived all of this? The weight of her powers, her past—it was crushing, yet she bore it all without breaking. But at what cost?"]
"And she's been carrying all of this alone?" Amelia's voice was soft, full of disbelief. "For how long?"
"For as long as she's been alive," Noah said quietly. "Her powers have made her a target. From the moment we realized who she was, what she could do, we knew we had to keep her hidden. The Kingdom would stop at nothing to destroy her."
A heavy silence followed Noah's words, each of them processing the enormity of what they were hearing.
"But why didn't she tell us?" Sablina asked, her voice tinged with frustration. "We're supposed to be a team. How can we help her if she keeps all of this from us?"
"Because trust is something Seventeen doesn't give easily," Lilith said, her gaze softening. "She's been betrayed before—by people she thought were family. And she's lost... more than any of you can imagine."
Draco's throat tightened. He remembered Seventeen's coldness, her distance. It wasn't just about keeping them at arm's length—it was about survival.
"She's not doing it to hurt you," Lilith continued. "But Seventeen has learned that opening herself up to others means risking more loss. And she's already lost enough."
"She lost her siblings," Draco said, his voice barely above a whisper, the truth sinking deeper. "Brutally. Because of... because of our parents."
Noah nodded, his expression hard at the mention of his kids again, but this time he was clearer. "Yes. The leaders of the Kingdom framed Ophiuchus, painting us as terrorists and rebels. They killed my children, all of her younger siblings—when she was only nineteen."
["Wait, what?"] He froze. ["She was 19?"]
"They were just kids," Hunter whispered, horrified.
Draco's heart ached, his stomach turning at the thought. Seventeen had watched her family, her siblings, murdered, and the world had cheered. And yet, she had kept going. She had kept fighting.
"How old was the youngest?" Claus asked, his voice thick with emotion.
"Ten was thirteen," Lilith replied, her voice tight with grief. "Seventeen was the oldest at the time, but she was only nineteen. She loved them fiercely, protected them."
["13... a kid. He was just a child."]
Amelia's eyes filled with tears. "And now she's the only one left."
Noah looked at them, his gaze unyielding. "She's the last of the Whitlock children. But she's also the most powerful Ophiuchan to ever live. Seventeen is the key to everything. She doesn't just carry the powers of Ophiuchus—she carries the future of the Kingdom."
Draco's mind spun, the enormity of it all weighing him down. Seventeen wasn't just a fighter, wasn't just strong—she was a force beyond anything he'd ever known. And she had been carrying all of this, all alone.
"What about her age?" Draco asked, unable to hold the thoughts in his mind. "I always thought she was older than me. Than all of us, since I'm the oldest of the six."
Lilith glanced at Noah, and for the first time, a flicker of uncertainty crossed their faces.
"No," Noah said softly. "Seventeen is actually the youngest of you all. She turned twenty-two just days ago."
Draco's heart stopped. They had missed her birthday. They had missed the chance to... to be there for her, even in that small way.
"We missed it," he said, the realization hitting him hard. "Her birthday. It was just a few days ago, wasn't it? You said something about November."
Lilith nodded. "November 30th. Just as the sun transitioned from Scorpio to Ophiuchus."
Draco felt sick. All this time, they had assumed she was older, more experienced, when in reality, she had been carrying more than anyone else, and she was the youngest of them all. She had lived through hell before most of them had even been tested by life.
["No wonder when she switch from her Serena appearance, she looked younger than before. That's because she is."]
"She's been through so much more than any of us," Amelia murmured, her bright orange eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
Draco's jaw tightened. Seventeen might have kept them at a distance, but he wasn't going to let that stop him. They weren't going to let her fight this alone anymore. They couldn't change the past, or what their parents had done, but they could be there for her now. They aren't their parents. They would prove to her that she wasn't alone—not anymore.
"We'll make it right," Draco vowed quietly, his voice filled with determination. "We'll show her that she can trust us."
Lilith's gaze softened, and she nodded. "That's all she's ever needed. To know she's not alone."
Draco looked at the others, their faces determined, and something unspoken passed between them. Seventeen wasn't here with them tonight, but she wasn't out of reach. Not anymore. And they wouldn't rest until she knew that.
["She is acting on us, pretending to hate us because of our parents, but I know better. She doesn't hate us, she's just scared. But I'll be there, even if she hates it, I'll be with her even when she tries to avoid me. I won't let her run from what we build, even if under the Serena person, some of that was her, I know. Especially when it was just the two of us. I'll bring her back to us, this time as Seventeen. She played her cards and gained our trust, it's time we do the same, but honestly."]