The Message from Before

Evelyn's fingers trembled as she took the slip of paper from Lucien, her breath shallow. The words she had written stared back at her, almost taunting her with their mystery. If I ever forget, start here. But start where? What was she trying to tell herself?

Lucien leaned in, his golden eyes scanning the note. "Do you recognize the handwriting?"

She swallowed. "It's mine. I'm sure of it."

He nodded. "Then you left this for yourself on purpose. Whatever you forgot… you must've known it was a possibility."

Evelyn turned her attention back to the book in her hands, her heart hammering against her ribs. The Stars Between Us. The title resonated within her, stirring an emotion she couldn't quite place. She flipped through the pages more urgently now, searching for something—anything—that might give her answers.

Then, near the middle of the book, she found it.

A folded piece of parchment, tucked neatly between the pages. Her breath caught as she pulled it free and carefully unfolded it. The ink had faded slightly, but the words were clear enough.

Evelyn,

If you're reading this, it means they took something from you. But they can't take everything. You have to remember: the key is hidden in the echoes. The night in the garden, the promise under the stars. It all started there.

Trust Lucien.

And whatever you do… don't let them rewrite you.

Evelyn felt as if the ground beneath her had tilted. The words were hers—her own warning from a past self who had known this day would come.

"The night in the garden," she murmured, glancing up at Lucien. "Do you know what it means?"

His expression darkened, his jaw tightening. "Yes."

She waited, but he hesitated, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. "Lucien?" she pressed.

He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "It was the night everything changed. The night you and I made a promise… and the night they tried to erase it."

Evelyn's pulse quickened. "Then we need to go back. We need to find that garden."

Lucien met her gaze, determination flickering in his eyes. "Then we should move quickly. If they erased your memory once… they won't hesitate to do it again."

A shiver ran down Evelyn's spine. She didn't know what waited for her in that garden, but one thing was clear—her past self had left her a lifeline, and she wasn't about to let it slip away.