beneath the surface

My heart stuttered in my chest, and a chill skittered across my skin. "W-what do you mean?" I croaked.

Tessa leaned in slightly, her voice low and edged with something I couldn't quite name—anger, maybe, or bitterness. "You've changed a lot, Sera. You used to be quite the villainess, but looking at you now, you're like a normal person."

My throat tightened. She knows. But how? "What are you talking about?" I asked, my voice wavering. A surge of panic fluttered in my stomach.

A shadowed smile tugged at her lips as she regarded me intently. "You're not the only one that came back, Sera," she said, her words sending a jolt of fear skittering through me.

I blinked, trying to piece together what she was implying. Came back? As in, from the future? My mind spun with possibilities: was Tessa—this Tessa—also from the end of the novel, and somehow time had rewound for her too? Did she think I was the original Sera, returned for a second chance at wreaking havoc?

My breath caught in my throat as she confirmed my worst fear. "Cut the act, Sera Vandren, the villainess." There was an odd glint in her crimson eyes, a mixture of resentment and resolve. "This time, I won't let you do the same."

She summoned a swirl of wind magic around her hand, the gusts so sharp they could slice through trees with ease. In the dim light of the infirmary, the air currents glimmered like silver blades, and my pulse spiked in alarm.

"I'll end you here, right now," Tessa threatened, stepping closer. The biting wind edged toward my throat, and the chill of imminent danger sent me reeling.

She was serious. I could feel the raw magic crackling against my neck, every hair on my body standing on end. Fear seized me so tightly I could scarcely breathe.

Should I tell her? My thoughts whirled, a desperate litany. If I don't, she'll kill me!

"W-wait!" I stammered, pressing myself back against the pillows, my bandaged arms flaring in pain. "I'm not Sera! It's not what you think!"

Tessa narrowed her eyes, a sneer twisting her lips. "Still trying to play coy?" Her voice dripped with skepticism, but she paused, if only for a heartbeat. The wind at my throat ebbed fractionally.

My heart thundered, adrenaline coursing through my veins. "It's not a lie," I pleaded. "I know what you think—I mean, I know the Sera from before was… monstrous. But I'm not her!"

Tessa's expression flickered, a swirl of doubt crossing her features. Yet her guard remained up, her magic shimmering with lethal intent. "Prove it," she demanded, her tone icy. "Because if you're truly not the Sera I remember, then there must be some explanation—some reason you're different."

I swallowed hard. How do I prove something like that? My mind raced, searching for any detail, any shred of evidence that might convince her I wasn't the same villainess she had known. My voice trembled as I spoke.

"I—I don't have all the memories you think I do. I don't know what happened between you and the original Sera, but I swear I'm not here to hurt anyone. You've seen me, Tessa… I've spent my days just trying to survive this world!" My eyes burned with a prick of tears. "You've watched me study, fight, struggle, right? Would the real Sera do that?"

For a long moment, the only sound was the whirl of wind magic coiling in her hand. Tessa studied me, the tension in her posture a storm of reluctance and disbelief.

Eventually, she eased her stance, though she didn't fully dispel the wind. "I don't know if I can believe you," she admitted. "The Sera Vandren I knew was manipulative, cunning—she'd do anything to regain power. And I promised myself I'd stop her this time."

I exhaled shakily, relief warring with lingering dread. "Whatever happened before—whatever you saw—the me standing here isn't the same. I promise."

Tessa's gaze flicked to my injured arms, still bandaged from the battle with Lillian—and the brief takeover by older Sera. Slowly, some of the hostility drained from her eyes, leaving only a guarded wariness.

"I'll be watching you," she said at last, her voice quieter but still firm. The razor-sharp wind at my throat receded by another inch. "If you show even a hint of that Sera, I won't hesitate to end it here."

I swallowed, nodding vigorously. "That's… fair."

For a moment, she lingered, as though wrestling with her own memories. Then, with a wary sigh, Tessa let the last of her magic dissipate into the air. The tension in the room eased, but I could still sense the undercurrent of danger pulsing beneath the surface.

Her crimson eyes narrowed, suspicion and curiosity etched into every line of her face. "Then tell me," she said, her voice quieter now but no less intense, "who are you?"

I swallowed, my pulse thrumming so hard I was certain she could hear it. How could I possibly answer that? I'm Sera Vandren, but I'm not the Sera Vandren you remember? Did I risk telling her the entire truth—that I was an outsider, a transmigrated soul who'd taken over this villainess's body and somehow thrown the entire plot into disarray?

Yet one look at Tessa's unwavering gaze made it clear I couldn't hide forever. She was demanding an answer, and if I didn't give her something, her wind blades might just return.

I inhaled shakily, trying to steady my voice. "I—I'm Sera Vandren," I began, choosing my words carefully. "But… not the one you think I am. I don't have the memories you're talking about. I don't know the events you seem to remember."

Her lips tightened, skepticism radiating from her posture. "That's convenient," she murmured. "You know, playing the clueless card is exactly something she would do—pretend to be harmless until the moment you let your guard down."

A flicker of anger flared in my chest, but I forced it down. "I'm not pretending," I said, trying to keep my voice steady—gentler than the panic I actually felt. "I don't want power, or vengeance, or whatever the old Sera craved. I just… want to live my life here, without causing harm. Honestly, I just want to survive. After all…" I paused, my throat tight, but I pressed on. "I'm not from this world."

Tessa went unnervingly still, her crimson eyes narrowing sharply. "'Not from this world?'" she repeated, her tone turning dangerously quiet.

I swallowed, realizing I'd said too much—but there was no taking it back now. "I mean—" My words faltered, and I looked down at the bandages on my arms, a visual reminder of how out of place I truly was. "I'm not the Sera you once knew. I… I didn't grow up here. I don't know the history you remember. You're not the only one with secrets."

Her gaze flicked over me, skepticism and curiosity warring behind her eyes. "You're saying you're from some other place entirely? That you replaced our Sera?"

Something about her words made me shiver—our Sera, like the original version still held rightful claim to this body. "It's complicated," I mumbled, teeth worrying at my lower lip. "But yes, that's… essentially it. I ended up in Sera's body somehow, and I've been trying to survive ever since."

Tessa's expression hardened. "So you're an intruder," she said, voice edged with a cold finality. "You stole her body."

The accusation stung, and I felt my temper flare once more. But the memory of her wind magic at my throat kept me from lashing out. "I didn't choose this," I countered, my fingers tightening around the sheets. "I just woke up here one day. It's not like I wanted to become the villainess of some twisted story."

Silence, thick and suffocating, fell between us. I could almost feel her wrestling with the idea, testing it against her memories of the old timeline. Finally, Tessa let out a slow breath.

"If that's true," she said quietly, "then what happened to the original Sera? The one who hurt so many people?"

My chest constricted. "I… don't know," I admitted, thinking of the sudden surges of anger, of magic that felt far beyond my control. "Sometimes I feel her—a darker presence, pushing me to do things. But it isn't me. I swear."

Tessa studied me for a beat longer, her intense gaze unreadable. "You expect me to believe that? That you're some random outsider who took over Sera's life by accident, and now her old self is haunting you from within?"

I shrugged helplessly, eyes dropping to my lap. "I don't have any proof," I whispered, frustration burning in my gut. "All I can do is tell you the truth, and hope you'll trust me enough not to… you know, kill me."

She exhaled sharply, running a hand through her dark hair. "This is insane," she muttered, more to herself than me. "But then again, everything about this second chance at life has been insane."

My gaze snapped up at that. "Second chance? So you… you really did come back, just like you claimed?"

She threw me a guarded look but seemed to recognize there was little point in hiding it now. "Yes," she said, her tone cautious. "I remember everything that happened up until… well, until the end. But then, I woke up here—back in time. Figured I wasn't the only one when I saw how different you acted."

Realization settled over me like a cold blanket. So Tessa really was from the end of the original story, and she believed I was the villainess Sera returning with a vengeance. I could see how she'd make that mistake, especially given my body's occasional slips into older Sera's rage.

"So," Tessa said, folding her arms again, "where does that leave us?"

I drew in a slow breath, allowing the tension to ease just a fraction. "I don't want to fight you," I said quietly. "I don't want to fight any of you. All I want is a chance to figure out how to live in this world—maybe even make it better, if I can."

Tessa studied me, her crimson eyes still guarded but no longer hostile. "Then tell me," she prompted, tilting her head slightly. "What was this other world of yours like? Who were you before you came here?"

A dry laugh escaped me, and I looked down at my bandaged hands. "It's… a lot to explain," I murmured. Part of me feared this confession would only fuel her suspicions, but there was no turning back now. If I didn't at least try to open up, we'd never get anywhere.

"Go on," Tessa said, impatience flickering across her face. "I can handle it."

"Fine," I relented, exhaling. "My old world was… modern. We had these devices called phones for communication—cellular devices that let us talk to anyone, anywhere. We drove around in cars powered by engines, not magic. We had hospitals, skyscrapers, airplanes, computers… things so different from this place."

Tessa's expression faltered for a moment, a crease forming between her brows. She didn't interrupt, though, so I continued.

"As for me," I said, rubbing my arms absently, "I was known as Chloe. Just an ordinary person, really—someone who was aiming to become a doctor. I spent most of my free time studying medicine or immersing myself in novels for escapism. Books were a passion of mine; reading stories was how I dealt with stress."

I paused, a wry smile tugging at my lips. "Ironically, one of those novels was the very story I've ended up in. I guess I was so absorbed in it that I… woke up here, in Sera Vandren's body. Only, she's not really… gone."

Tessa's eyes flicked over my features, doubt mingling with something else—curiosity, perhaps. "So you're telling me you read about our world in a book? And that's how you knew everything about us, about the plot?"

I nodded, a shiver running down my spine. "Yes. At least, I thought I knew everything. But clearly, a lot has changed since I arrived. The old storyline is… in pieces, I guess."

Tessa fell silent, her gaze lingering on me in a way that made my skin prickle. I couldn't tell if she believed me or if she thought I was weaving some elaborate lie. After what felt like an eternity, she let out a low sigh.

"That's… a lot to swallow," she admitted, looking away momentarily. The tension in her shoulders betrayed her inner conflict. "But… if everything you say is true, then you really aren't the original Sera—at least, not completely. Maybe that explains why your behavior is so different."

I swallowed a wave of relief, cautiously hopeful. "Exactly. I don't have the same memories or the same goals. All I want is to live a normal life, but it's hard to do that when the old Sera keeps… surfacing."

Tessa's lips pressed into a thin line. "Right. That moment when you almost lost control in the arena. You're telling me that was her?"

I flinched, recalling the overwhelming surge of rage and powerful magic that had nearly consumed me—and nearly hurt Lillian. "Yes. It's like she's trapped in my mind, waiting for the chance to resurface."

For a long moment, neither of us spoke. Then Tessa closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose as though to stave off a headache. "This is insane," she muttered under her breath. "But… it does explain a lot."

I watched her carefully, noticing the slight tremor in her hands, the deep breath she took before meeting my gaze again. She was clearly wrestling with the reality I'd laid out.

"So, what now?" I asked, anxiety coiling in my stomach. "Are you going to kill me because I'm technically not from this world… or help me?"

She exhaled, her posture relaxing marginally. "I'm not making any promises," she warned, crossing her arms. "But for now, I won't kill you. If you really aren't the original Sera, then… it might be worth seeing if you can save this world from her wrath instead of causing it."

A weight lifted off my chest, though my relief was tinged with caution. "Thank you," I whispered, my voice shaky with emotion. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep her contained. I promise."

Tessa nodded, regarding me with a measured look. "I'll be watching," she said, her tone still carrying an undercurrent of mistrust. "But… if you can prove that you're on our side, that you aren't out to destroy everyone, then maybe… just maybe, we can change this story for the better."

My throat tightened. "That's what I'm hoping for."

Tessa paused at the door, shooting me one last look—something like reluctant sympathy flickering behind those crimson eyes. "Rest up," she muttered. "If the old Sera's as stubborn as you say, you'll need all the energy you can muster."

My heart thudded, and a wave of urgency suddenly washed over me. "Wait!" I called, my voice echoing a little too loudly in the hush of the infirmary.

She turned again, one eyebrow arched. "What?" she asked, sounding more curious than annoyed.

I fiddled with the bedsheets, feeling my cheeks warm. The words tumbled out before I could second-guess them: "Can we still… be friends?"

Her reaction was immediate—a surprised laugh, low and a bit amused. She actually came back over to me, hair swishing around her shoulders. Under the lamplight, she looked slightly less intimidating and a whole lot more… well, human.

"Friends, huh?" Tessa repeated, tilting her head. "You've got guts asking that after everything."

I felt my face growing hotter by the second, but I refused to back down. "I mean it," I mumbled. "We may not trust each other yet, but I… I don't want to be enemies."

She let out a long, dramatic sigh—like she was making a show of weighing her options. Then, a small smile tugged at her lips. "Maybe we can, Sera Vandren," she said, her voice softer than before. The next thing I knew, she leaned in closer, her warm breath ghosting against my ear.

"Or should I say… Chloe?"

A jolt ran through me the moment her lips brushed the edge of my ear. My mind went fuzzy, and I think my cheeks caught fire. Heart hammering, I practically fell backward onto the pillows. "H-Hey!" I sputtered, pressing a hand to my ear like that would stop the tingling.

Tessa stepped back, a playful glint in her eyes. "What?" she teased. "I'm just calling you by your real name, right?"

I tried not to look too rattled, but who was I kidding? "It—It was," I admitted sheepishly. "But here, I'm Sera."

"Sure you are," she said with a smirk. "I'll keep your secret… for now." Straightening up, she folded her arms in that signature Tessa way—somewhere between guarded and casual. "Don't think this means I'm letting down my guard, though. We've got a long road to 'friends.'"

I swallowed, nodding. "I get it," I whispered, my pulse still racing. "Thanks, Tessa."

She glanced at the door, then back at me. "Just focus on getting some shut-eye. If we're really tackling all this—twisted plots, evil alter egos, and who knows what else—you'll need your strength."

Before I could even say another word, she threw me one last sidelong look—part concerned, part… almost fond?—and then stepped out, the door clicking shut behind her.

For a few seconds, my mind was blank. Then I realized my ear was still warm from where she'd whispered my old name. Chloe. It sounded so odd here, like a reminder of a past life I couldn't quite let go of.

But, weirdly enough, I found myself smiling. Sure, the day's events had been a rollercoaster of near-death experiences, shocking confessions, and unexpected alliances, but for the first time in ages, I felt a spark of genuine hope. Maybe Tessa and I could figure out this crazy world together. Maybe I didn't have to do it all alone.

My ear still tingled as I settled back against the pillows, letting my eyes drift shut. Life was far from perfect, and the threats overshadowing me weren't going to vanish overnight. But right then, with the memory of Tessa's mischievous grin fresh in my mind, things didn't seem so hopeless.

Who knew that one small moment—one whisper