CHAPTER SEVENTY

Seren's fingers hovered above Alice's heart, glowing with soft light.

Her eyes closed. Her lips moved in a whisper—ancient, melodic, heavy with forgotten magic.

Alva knelt beside her daughter, holding Alice's hand tightly, her heart thudding louder with each word Seren spoke.

The room pulsed once. The Tree's mark lit faintly beneath Alice's skin.

> A beat.

A hum.

A whisper through the walls.

Seren leaned closer. "She's almost listening…"

Suddenly—

The bedroom door burst open.

> BANG!

Cody stood in the doorway, chest rising hard, his eyes burning darker than shadow. Not his usual calm brown—but pure black, ringed faintly in red.

"Don't touch her," he growled.

The room fell into dead silence.

Seren froze, her hand still hovering just inches above Alice's heart.

Alva gasped. "Cody—"

He walked in fast, steps heavy, a storm behind every movement. "Move away from her, Seren."

But Seren didn't move.

She slowly stood up from her kneeling position and turned to face him—elegant, unbothered.

"You're late," she said softly.

"And you're bold," Cody replied, jaw clenched. "Coming into my home. Touching my daughter. Speaking forbidden spells."

Alva stood between them, unsure whether to shield Alice—or to keep the two immortals from tearing each other apart.

Seren's voice held no fear. "She needs to awaken. You know it."

"She'll wake when it's time," Cody snapped. "Not when you command it."

Alva stepped forward. "Cody… she said she could help. She said—"

"She's not here to help, Alva," Cody said coldly. "She's here to control what comes next."

Seren raised a brow. "You kept everything from her, Cody. And now you're the one acting like the guardian?"

"I kept her safe," he snapped.

"No," Seren said, voice sharper now. "You kept her blind."

Alva's eyes darted between them, shaking. "What are you two talking about?!"

Cody looked at her, pain flashing in his dark eyes. "She's my sister."

Alva's breath caught. "What?"

"She's my sister," Cody said again, lower this time. "Seren. She was once the Tree's protector… before she chose to betray it."

Seren's expression didn't change. "I didn't betray the Tree. I tried to free it."

"You wanted to control it," Cody said.

"And you wanted to forget it," she shot back.

The room shook—just slightly, like the Tree itself was listening.

Alva turned to Seren. "Is that true? Are you really… his sister?"

Seren nodded once. "He was once a prince. But when he saw what we were becoming, he ran. He chose the human world. You."

Alva stared at Cody. "And you never told me."

"I wanted peace, Alva," Cody said. "For you. For Alice. I wanted to stay in this world."

Seren's voice turned cold. "Then why did the curse return? Why is the Tree blooming again? Why is your daughter humming its song?"

Cody took a step toward her. "Leave. Now."

Seren gave one last glance at Alice, who still lay motionless, her silver hair glowing faintly.

Then she turned back to Alva. "She'll wake on her own. But when she does… you better be ready."

Without another word, Seren vanished into mist—silver particles dissolving into the air, leaving behind only silence and the faint echo of a spell unfinished.

Alva collapsed into the chair beside Alice's bed, her chest tight with a thousand questions.

Cody stood frozen, staring down at the daughter he had almost lost.

"You lied to me," Alva whispered, not looking at him.

"I know," Cody said.

"And now your sister is in our house."

"She won't return."

"She will," Alva whispered. "Because she knows more than I do. And right now… I trust her more than you."

Cody flinched.

---

The silver mist faded, leaving the room cold and still.

Cody stood silently, fists clenched at his sides. Alva sat beside Alice, her hand resting gently over her daughter's small one. Her thoughts were spinning, her emotions frayed like torn ribbon.

She didn't look at him as she spoke.

> "If Seren is your sister… then who is Vicky?"

Cody's breath caught.

"Because if you say Seren is your sister… and Vicky is your sister too… then why are they so different?"

Alva finally turned her head. Her eyes were red, but blazing. Not with tears—with disbelief.

"Tell me the truth, Cody. All of it. No more lies. No more soft versions. I want to know who Vicky really is."

Cody stepped back slowly, shaking his head like the answer itself hurt.

"Vicky is my sister serne… once," he said quietly.

Alva narrowed her eyes. "Once?"

"She and Seren… they weren't always like this. We were born of the same bloodline, but from three different mothers. Seren was chosen by the Tree. Vicky wasn't. And she never forgave it.vicky was cursed to be human."

Alva stood now, moving slowly, watching him.

"What does that even mean? What Tree? What did it choose?"

Cody turned away, his voice rough. "The Tree is more than a curse, Alva. It's a being. It chooses vessels. Power-bearers. Some of us were marked. Some weren't. I was… and so was Seren. Vicky wasn't. She was cast aside."

He ran a hand through his hair, his shoulders tense.

"And she hated us for it."

"then vicky is she not the one who..."

"that her in humans but she different"

Alva's heart raced. "So what did she do?"

"She rebelled. She joined the Shadow Court. She's not Vicky anymore—she's Vicara. A creature bound to the underworld of magic. And if Seren is here…" he turned slowly, meeting her gaze, "then Vicara is not far behind."

Alva's lips parted slightly.

The room suddenly felt smaller.

He stepped closer to her, slowly.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want you caught in it. I didn't want Alice caught in it. But the moment she screamed that night and the Tree answered… everything changed."

Alva's voice was low and tired. "So you have two sisters. One who wants to wake my daughter… and one who might want to destroy her. and one who stays as human"

Cody nodded, pained.

Alva turned to Alice again, brushing a finger through her glowing silver hair. She was still sleeping peacefully—completely unaware of the storm surrounding her.

"And what am I supposed to do now?" Alva whispered. "Wait for the next sibling to show up at my door?"

Cody reached out gently, but she pulled away.

"No," she said, her voice firm. "Not yet. Not until I know I can trust you again."

He stood still, hands at his sides.

Outside the room, the wind picked up slightly. Somewhere far away, the cursed Tree shifted its roots deeper into the earth.

The balance was beginning to tip.