The room felt colder as Rose sat on the bed, staring at the notebook Seraphina had handed her earlier. The faint light of dawn filtered through the window, illuminating the riddle scrawled on the page:
Two hearts bound,
One stays, one free.
The choice is hers,
But beware the fee.
Her fingers trembled as she traced the familiar lines. She had seen this before—not recently, but during one of her past desperate attempts to understand this world. Back then, the riddle had appeared in an old journal she'd found while digging for clues on how to escape.
But the journal had been destroyed, lost in an ambush.
How could Seraphina have the same riddle?
Her breath quickened as the implications set in. Someone—something—had ensured this riddle reached her not once, but twice. It wasn't just a cryptic message. It was a pattern.
"Rose, you're up early."
Sylus's voice broke her thoughts, and she quickly closed the notebook, tucking it under the blanket. She turned to see him leaning casually against the doorway, his sharp eyes scanning her face.
"Couldn't sleep," she replied, trying to steady her voice.
Sylus tilted his head, his gaze narrowing slightly. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
She forced a small laugh, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Just a weird dream. Nothing to worry about."
He didn't press further, but his lingering stare told her he wasn't convinced.
---
Later that morning, Rose found herself alone again, the notebook resting on her lap. She opened it cautiously, her eyes scanning the riddle.
Her mind raced with questions. Why was this riddle appearing again? What did it mean? And why had Seraphina given it to her now?
As if summoned by her thoughts, Seraphina appeared in the doorway. Her presence was as ethereal as always, her silver hair catching the light like a halo.
"You've read it," Seraphina said, her tone soft but knowing.
Rose hesitated before nodding. "I've seen this riddle before. A long time ago, when I was searching for a way out of here."
Seraphina's expression didn't change, but something flickered in her eyes. "And did you understand it then?"
"No," Rose admitted. "And I don't understand it now. But if it's appearing again, that means it's important, doesn't it?"
Seraphina stepped closer, her gaze fixed on Rose. "It means you're closer to the truth than you realize. But the choice the riddle speaks of... it's not one to be made lightly."
Rose's grip on the notebook tightened. "What does it mean by 'beware the fee'? What's the cost?"
Seraphina's lips curved into a faint, enigmatic smile. "That, dear Rose, is something only you can discover."
Rose's frustration flared, but she held her tongue. Seraphina's cryptic answers always felt like a dance around the truth.
"One more thing," Rose said, her voice firmer now. "You didn't just find this riddle, did you? You knew it would matter to me."
Seraphina inclined her head, her gaze unflinching. "Let's just say some truths are meant to find you, no matter how far you run."
With that, Seraphina turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Rose alone with the notebook and a thousand unanswered questions.
Rose stared at the riddle again, her determination hardening. Whatever this meant, whatever the "fee" was, she was going to figure it out.
And this time, she wasn't going to let anyone—or anything—stop her.