Chapter 14: Selene’s Vision

The greenhouse was quiet, the only sound the faint rustle of leaves and the soft hum of life. Selene stood in the center of the room, her gaze fixed on the vine that had wrapped itself around her wrist. It wasn't choking her—it was holding her, its grip firm but gentle. The leaves trembled, and she felt a surge of emotion—fear, urgency, and something else. A warning.

"What are you trying to tell me?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the rustle of leaves.

The vine tightened slightly, and she felt a strange warmth spread through her arm. Images flashed in her mind—a city in ruins, the sky filled with dark clouds, and a figure standing at the center of it all. A woman with silver hair and eyes that glowed like the moon.

Selene gasped, pulling her arm free. The vine recoiled, its leaves drooping as if in apology. She stumbled back, her heart racing. "What the hell was that?"

She had always known plants were alive, but this… this was something else. They were sentient. Aware. And they were trying to tell her something.

Selene grabbed her notebook and began scribbling furiously, trying to capture the images she had seen. The woman. The city. The storm. It felt important, like a puzzle piece she needed to solve. But before she could make sense of it, the greenhouse door creaked open.

She turned, expecting to see her assistant, but the figure standing in the doorway was unfamiliar. A man in a dark suit, his face obscured by shadows.

"Dr. Selene Carter?" he asked, his voice cold and clinical.

Selene's heart skipped a beat. "Who are you?"

The man stepped inside, his movements slow and deliberate. "My name is Agent Cross. I'm with The Veil. We need to talk."

Selene didn't respond, her mind racing as she tried to process what was happening. The Veil. The organization Aurelia and Lucian had warned her about. The ones behind the mutations, the experiments, the ancient beings. And now they were here, in her greenhouse.

She took a step back, her hand reaching for the pruning shears on the table. "What do you want?"

Agent Cross didn't respond right away, his gaze sweeping over the room as if he were assessing it. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm, almost soothing. "We know about your work, Dr. Carter. Your connection to the plants. Your… abilities."

Selene's grip tightened on the shears, her heart pounding in her chest. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Agent Cross tilted his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Don't play coy with me, Doctor. We've been watching you for some time now. We know what you can do."

Selene didn't respond, her mind racing as she tried to think of a way out of this. The greenhouse was her sanctuary, her safe place. But now it felt like a trap, the walls closing in around her.

Agent Cross stepped closer, his movements slow and deliberate. "We're not here to hurt you, Dr. Carter. We're here to offer you a choice."

Selene's grip tightened on the shears, her heart pounding in her chest. "What kind of choice?"

Agent Cross didn't respond right away, his gaze sweeping over the room as if he were considering his words. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm, almost soothing. "Join us. Help us control the mutations. Help us shape the future."

Selene didn't respond, her mind racing as she tried to process what he was saying. The Veil wanted her to join them. To help them control the mutations. To help them shape the future. But at what cost?

She took a step back, her grip tightening on the shears. "And if I refuse?"

Agent Cross's smile faded, his expression turning cold. "Then we'll have to take more… drastic measures."

Selene didn't respond, her mind racing as she tried to think of a way out of this. The greenhouse was her sanctuary, her safe place. But now it felt like a trap, the walls closing in around her.

Before she could respond, the door creaked open again, and a familiar voice broke the silence. "Well, this looks cozy."

Selene turned, her heart skipping a beat as she saw Aurelia standing in the doorway. Her silver hair caught the faint light of the greenhouse, her eyes glowing faintly in the dark. She was leaning against the doorframe, her arms crossed over her chest, a faint smirk on her lips.

Agent Cross turned, his expression darkening as he saw her. "Who are you?"

Aurelia shrugged, her tone light and teasing. "Just a concerned citizen. Thought I'd drop by and see how the plants are doing. You know, make sure they're not being… overwatered."

Selene couldn't help but chuckle, despite the tension in the room. Aurelia's humor was always a little awkward, but it was a welcome distraction.

Agent Cross didn't seem amused. His expression darkened, his hand reaching for the weapon at his side. "This doesn't concern you. Leave now, or you'll regret it."

Aurelia's smirk faded, her expression turning serious. "Oh, I think it does concern me. You see, Selene here is a friend of mine. And I don't take kindly to people threatening my friends."

Agent Cross didn't respond, his hand tightening on his weapon. The tension in the room was palpable, the air thick with the scent of fear and something else—something metallic, like blood.

Selene took a step back, her grip tightening on the shears. She didn't know what was going to happen, but she knew it wasn't going to be good.

Aurelia stepped closer, her gaze locking with Agent Cross's. "Now, why don't you put that thing away before you hurt yourself?"

Agent Cross didn't respond, his hand tightening on his weapon. The tension in the room was palpable, the air thick with the scent of fear and something else—something metallic, like blood.

Before he could react, Aurelia moved. Her movements were fast, almost too fast to follow. One moment, she was standing in the doorway, and the next, she was behind Agent Cross, her hand gripping his wrist.

The weapon clattered to the ground, the sound echoing through the greenhouse. Agent Cross stumbled back, his expression a mixture of shock and fear. "What the hell are you?"

Aurelia's smirk returned, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Oh, you know. Just your average, everyday… whatever I am."

Selene couldn't help but chuckle, despite the tension in the room. Aurelia's humor was always a little awkward, but it was a welcome distraction.

Agent Cross didn't seem amused. His expression darkened, his hand reaching for another weapon. But before he could draw it, Aurelia was on him again, her movements fast and precise.

The fight was over in seconds, Agent Cross lying unconscious on the ground. Aurelia stood over him, her expression calm and collected. "Well, that was fun."

Selene didn't respond, her mind racing as she tried to process what had just happened. The Veil had come for her, and Aurelia had saved her. But at what cost?

Aurelia turned to her, her smirk fading as she saw the look on Selene's face. "You okay?"

Selene nodded, her grip tightening on the shears. "Yeah. I just… I don't know what's going on anymore."

Aurelia's expression softened, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "You're not alone in this, Selene. We're all in over our heads. But we'll figure it out. Together."

Selene didn't respond, her mind racing as she tried to steady her breathing. The weight of it all was pressing down on her, a constant, gnawing fear that she couldn't shake. But Aurelia's words, her presence, gave her a moment of clarity. She wasn't alone. She didn't have to do this alone.

She took a deep breath, her hands unclenching at her sides. "Okay. What do we do now?"

Aurelia's smirk returned, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Now, we find the others. We have a lot of work to do."

Selene nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Let's get to it."