Mira stood there, drenched, her body trembling—not from the cold, but from the anger boiling inside her. Ren stood a few steps away, looking completely unfazed, his emerald-green eyes sharp with amusement. The tension between them was thick, a silent battle of wills crackling like the magic in the air.
Before either could speak, the heavy door of the white house swung open.
Akira, Rhyshe, and Celvia rushed outside, their faces tight with worry. The moment Akira's eyes landed on Mira, her expression faltered.
"Mira?" Akira's voice was a breathless whisper, shock flickering in her brown eyes. "What are you doing here?"
Mira's hands curled into fists. After two days of silence, this was Akira's first reaction? No apology, no explanation—just confusion, as if Mira had somehow stumbled into the inner court by accident.
Mira's jaw tightened. You left me behind.
"How did you even get in?" Akira pressed, stepping closer. "You shouldn't—"
"She's allowed here."
Ren's voice cut through the night like a blade. Calm. Careless.
Akira turned to him, her brows knitting together. "What?"
Ren smirked, glancing at Mira with something almost resembling interest. "She's the Seventh Devil."
A stunned silence fell over the group.
Mira's breath hitched.
Her. The Seventh Devil?
For a moment, she thought she had misheard. But then she saw the looks on their faces—Akira frozen in place, Celvia's lips slightly parted, Rhyshe's eyes darting between them in shock.
They already knew.
Her stomach twisted. The realization hit her harder than the fall into the fountain.
Akira took a step back, her face paling. "Grandmaster told you?" she asked, voice unsteady.
"He didn't have to." Ren shoved his hands in his pockets, his smirk deepening. "She just proved it herself."
Mira felt her fingers twitch. He was enjoying this. The way the revelation was crashing down on her, the way Akira and the others looked so guilty.
Her voice came out sharper than she intended. "So, that's why you left me alone in the outer court? Why none of you told me anything?" Her gaze burned into Akira. "You knew I was one of you. And yet, you let me wander around clueless while you all played your secret games."
Akira flinched. "Mira, we didn't want to overwhelm you."
Mira let out a short, bitter laugh. "Overwhelm me? Oh, how thoughtful of you."
Rhyshe stepped forward, her usual lightheartedness gone. "Look, Mira, I get that you're mad. But trust me—there are things you still don't know."
"Then tell me," Mira snapped. "Or are you planning to keep me in the dark forever?"
Celvia exhaled softly, her voice gentler. "It wasn't about hiding it from you. We were waiting for the right time—"
"The right time?" Mira scoffed. "And when exactly was that?"
Ren let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "This is entertaining, but we're wasting time. It's cold, and she's dripping all over the place."
Mira glared at him, but before she could retort, Rhyshe clapped her hands together. "Alright, alright. Mira, come inside before you catch a cold."
Mira didn't move.
The warmth of the house beckoned her, but something inside her hesitated. Her trust had been fractured, and she wasn't ready to pretend everything was fine. The weight of betrayal settled in her chest like a stone. She wasn't sure she wanted to follow them inside.
Finally, she exhaled sharply. Without a word, she turned and walked past them, stepping into the house—but her heart remained distant.