Rose sat cross-legged on the floor, her heart pounding as she flipped through the pages of her old journal. Dust clung to the edges of the worn pages, her handwriting scrawled in hurried strokes staring back at her. It was as if her past self had left her breadcrumbs in a labyrinth she didn't even realize she was trapped in.
The first page stopped her cold:
1. If I fall for him = I stay here.
2. If he falls for me = I might go back.
3. BUT: Both can't happen at the same time.
Her fingers trembled as she read the lines over and over. She had written these words when she first arrived, desperately trying to make sense of this surreal world. At the time, it had felt like an abstract equation, something distant and theoretical.
Now, it felt chillingly real.
The second page struck even harder:
"Two hearts bound,
One stays, one free.
The choice is hers,
But beware the fee."
Rose whispered the words aloud, her voice shaky. Two hearts bound. That had to mean her and Sylus.
She turned to the third page, her breath hitching as the riddle's meaning began to unravel before her eyes:
"You seek the meaning of the fee. Know this: to leave this world, one bond must break. The stronger the bond, the greater the cost. Choose wisely, for no bond mended will be the same."
Below it, her younger self had scribbled a frantic thought:
**"Fee = breaking the bond.
The closer we get, the more it will hurt.
But does 'breaking' mean hurting him—or destroying his feelings entirely?
The choice will change you as much as it changes them."**
Rose's mind spiraled. All this time, she had been inching closer to Sylus—trusting him, relying on him, even letting herself feel something she couldn't quite name. If the riddle was true, that connection was a double-edged sword.
She closed the journal and sat back, staring blankly at the wall.
It all made sense now. The pull she felt toward Sylus, the way he looked at her, the fact that her escape seemed to grow more complicated the closer they became. This wasn't just a game of survival. It was a test of her heart, her choices, and her will.
And now, she realized why Seraphina's riddle had resurfaced.
---
Rose paced the room, the journal clutched tightly in her hands. Sylus and Lucas had stepped out to gather supplies, giving her a rare moment of solitude. She needed to process this without their watchful eyes.
Her thoughts churned.
If I fall for him = I stay here.
If he falls for me = I might go back.
Her grip on the journal tightened. "But if both happen..." she muttered, her voice trailing off.
The thought of breaking her bond with Sylus felt unbearable. Despite his guarded exterior, he had become her anchor in this chaotic world. But she couldn't stay here forever. Could she?
Her fingers brushed over the faded ink of the riddle. The choice is hers.
Was it?
The sound of the door opening startled her, and she quickly shoved the journal under her pillow. Sylus stepped in, his sharp eyes scanning the room before landing on her.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.
"Fine," she replied, too quickly.
He raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but didn't press further.
"You've been quiet lately," he said, stepping closer. "Something on your mind?"
Rose forced a smile. "Just... trying to figure things out."
Sylus nodded, but his gaze lingered, as if he could see through her facade.
As the night stretched on, Rose lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The weight of the journal's words pressed heavily on her chest.
To leave this world, one bond must break.
The closer they got, the more impossible the choice seemed. But one thing was clear—whatever path she chose, it would leave scars neither of them would ever fully heal from.
And Sylus... he could never know.