Chapter 21

Liam's entire body tensed as the unexpected word left Athasia's lips.

"Brother."

The moment that single word echoed in the grand banquet hall, it felt as if time itself had frozen. The soft chatter of guests, the faint clinking of glasses, and even the music playing in the background—all of it seemed to vanish. An eerie silence settled over the space, as though the air had thickened with something unspoken.

Mira's breath hitched, her head snapping toward Athasia so fast it almost hurt. Did she just…?

Liam, standing beside her, stiffened. His usual calm, composed demeanor wavered as he turned to fully face Athasia. His lips parted slightly, as if forming words that refused to come out. "What… did you just call me?" His voice, usually smooth and confident, now carried a sharp edge of disbelief.

Athasia, however, remained unfazed. Her expression was unreadable—neither warm nor cold—just an amused smirk playing at the corners of her lips, as if she had simply dropped a minor revelation rather than something that had the potential to shake them to their core.

"Oh, don't look at me like that," she said, tilting her head slightly, her long platinum hair cascading down her back. "I know everything."

Mira felt her stomach twist. Everything? Just how much did Athasia mean by that?

Liam's jaw clenched. His mind raced through all the possibilities—what exactly did she know? How long had she known? The weight of her words settled heavily in his chest, making it hard to breathe.

But before he could demand an answer, Athasia stretched her arms lazily as if she had just finished a long nap and was merely making small talk. "Anyway," she continued, her voice filled with nonchalance, "I should get going. Wouldn't want Mom to see me here and faint from shock, now would we?"

The words hit like a shockwave. Mira's heart pounded. Mom. If Athasia was calling Liam 'brother' and referring to their mother—then that meant she had figured out the truth.

Liam's dark eyes narrowed as he took a step forward, his imposing presence radiating something unreadable. His voice was dangerously low. "You're not leaving until you explain."

Athasia merely chuckled, amusement glinting in her green eyes. "Oh? And if I don't?"

Mira, feeling an overwhelming sense of urgency, reached out and grabbed Athasia's wrist tightly. "Wait! You can't just say something like that and leave!" she hissed, her grip tightening.

Athasia turned her gaze to Mira, her lips curving into a soft smile. "You're still the same, Mira," she murmured, almost fondly.

With ease, she pried Mira's fingers from her wrist, her touch firm but not harsh. Then, lowering her voice so only Mira could hear, she whispered, "We'll talk soon."

Then, without another word, Athasia stepped back. And before either Mira or Liam could stop her, she moved through the crowd like a ghost, effortlessly blending in as if she had never been there at all.

Liam remained rooted in place, his expression dark, his hands clenched into fists as he stared at the spot where she had stood just moments ago.

Mira, on the other hand, felt a wave of emotions crash over her. She had spent weeks trying to find Athasia, to confirm her suspicions, and now—now Athasia was right in front of them, but just like before, she had vanished.

This time, however, Mira wasn't going to let her disappear so easily.