(Chapter 38:Mira's Pov)
The night was too quiet.
Mira felt it before she saw it—the shift in the air, the unnatural stillness. Lorenzo stood beside her, his grip firm around his blade, his eyes scanning the dark. They had uncovered the traitor, but the real danger had yet to reveal itself.
Then it came.
A rush of movement—too fast. Too sudden. A shadow tore through the space between them, and before she could react, fingers clamped around her wrist, yanking her backward.
Callidus.
His grip was ice-cold, magic pressing against her skin like invisible chains. She lashed out, but his hold tightened, pulling her flush against him.
"You should've been mine from the beginning," he murmured, voice smooth, dangerous.
Mira snarled, power rising, but Callidus was ready. Darkness wrapped around her, sinking into her bones, dulling the edges of her strength.
Then Lorenzo moved.
A silver blur—his blade slicing through the air. Callidus released her just in time to block the strike, steel clashing against steel with a deafening ring.
Mira stumbled back, her heart hammering. The force of their clash sent shockwaves through the ground.
Lorenzo didn't hesitate. He struck again—faster, deadlier. Callidus met him with ease, deflecting, dodging, smiling.
"I didn't come for a fight," Callidus mused, stepping back like this was nothing more than a game. "But you forced my hand."
Lorenzo's jaw clenched. "Let me guess. Cassian was disposable?"
Callidus tilted his head. "Everyone is."
Mira's blood ran cold.
Lorenzo lunged. Their weapons met in a brutal flurry, but something about Callidus's movements unsettled her. He wasn't fighting to win. He was testing them.
And then his gaze shifted—to her.
Mira tensed.
"You don't even see it, do you?" His voice was almost gentle. "You're changing."
Her fingers twitched. A flicker of something—power thrumming just beneath her skin.
Lorenzo didn't let him finish. He struck with a speed that shattered the air, forcing Callidus back.
But Callidus laughed. "That temper of yours." His red eyes gleamed. "Do you know what she's capable of, Lorenzo? Or are you afraid to find out?"
Something snapped inside her.
A pulse of raw energy tore through the night, slamming into the earth. The ground cracked beneath her feet. The air hummed.
For the first time, Callidus faltered.
For the first time, Lorenzo looked at her—not with admiration, but with something dangerously close to fear.
Mira exhaled, the power still thrumming. Her hands trembled.
Callidus smiled, stepping back into the shadows. "Now you're ready."
And just like that—he was gone.