I reach toward a chair. Elio sits down and looks at me with half-closed eyes.

  The main door opens with a click, and Gaia’s dark eyes greet me with a smile.

  ?I just woke up.?

  Gaia walks closer, tying back her wavy hair.

  ?Did you sleep any better??

  I shake my head.

  She tilts hers and gives me a light pat on the back. Then her attention shifts to the boy, curious like a honey badger.

  ?A new character? What’s your name??

  The boy smiles at her.

  ?Elio, but… I’m not a character. I’m real.?

  Gaia smiles and sits beside him.

  ?So we’re fake??

  ?No! No! That’s not what I meant…?

  ?Relax. For now, you’ve got nothing to fear, real person.?

  My shoulders tense.

  ?He’s Elena’s brother.?

  Gaia stares at me wide-eyed, then reaches out to Elio.

  ?Great! I’m Gaia, head of the royal spies.?

  Elio stiffens and takes her hand, trembling.

  ?So… tell us. Where did you come from??

  Elio’s eyes wander across the table.

  ?I… I don’t really remember where I was born. Everything was dark. Then I saw a light above me, like a crack in a ceiling, and when I crossed it I ended up in this world… and…?

  It reminds me of my own arrival.

  Back then, Elena hadn’t created anything yet.

  Even just seeing the light had… surprised me. And frightened me.

  ?Didn’t you see anything before coming out of the Rift??

  Serena beats me to the question.

  Elio furrows his brows even deeper.

  ?Out of what?!?

  I trace a finger along the map, resting my cheek against my hand. Elio’s gaze follows the black lightning mark.

  ?About twelve hundred years ago, a rift opened toward the Dark Realm. “The Rift.” From it came the army of the Dark King, Anxietas. The one we’re fighting.?

  Elio clasps his hands, pale as he looks at me.

  ?Oh. I… I don’t remember if he created me…?

  I snort. This one wants to take Elena’s place and doesn’t understand a thing.

  ?Of course Elena created you.?

  His lips tighten. His brows draw together.

  I know. I could’ve said it more calmly.

  I breathe in. Calm down. I lean toward him.

  ?This is her mind. Nothing that wasn’t created by her can enter.?

  He nods, crossing his arms.

  ?I… think you represent how she sees her real brother. And if you’re here, it means your presence is useful to her. My question is: what’s your role here??

  He was created. Just like me.

  That alone makes him subordinate.

  Elena wouldn’t punish me for doing my duty and then accept him.

  He puffs out his chest. I do the same.

  ?Elena’s in trouble. I want to help her. And I know the three of you want the same.?

  I study him. His eyes are bright. He looks sincere.

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  Elena wants to come back?

  My body relaxes.

  ?Your intentions seem good.?

  Silence.

  I clasp my hands.

  Why does she need her brother to intervene?

  Elio leans forward, staring at the Rift on the map.

  ?So Anxietas was created by Elena too??

  I nod, along with the others.

  Elio looks around, then fixes me with a sharp, narrowed stare.

  I answer in kind.

  ?The last time I read about you in my sister’s stories, you didn’t have such a… grim attitude.?

  I take a deep breath.

  A thousand years of war. Nights full of nightmares.

  And he dares judge my attitude?

  ?You’d be the first to come out of the Rift with the intention of helping.?

  His fists tremble.

  ?I didn’t come here to be interrogated by the first one who showed up!?

  I jump to my feet.

  ?I’ve been answering directly to Elena’s orders since the dawn of this world. You’re the last one who arrived.?

  Elio goes pale.

  A hand grabs me.

  Serena’s fingers glow, warm. My soul lights up. My chest slows. My shoulders loosen, and I sit back down.

  I overdid it.

  I knew I wasn’t fit to command.

  I rest my forehead on my hand.

  ?I’m calm, Serena.?

  Her hand moves gently along my back.

  I like these circular motions.

  Gaia narrows her eyes at me for a moment, then smiles at Elio.

  ?Be patient. We’ve been at war for a long time, and Mina’s at her limit.?

  It’s true.

  Elio is still Elena’s family.

  I’m just a fictional character.

  I have no right to speak to him like that.

  ?What…? Elio murmurs, pointing a finger at Serena.

  ?What did she do to her??

  Serena looks at him, smiling.

  ?Elena gave me the power to bring serenity. It felt like the right moment to use it.?

  Elio’s eyes widen. He touches his neck and looks at me.

  ?You said… since the dawn of time??

  Serena turns to him.

  ?Mina is the oldest character. She’s ten thousand years old.?

  My stomach tightens.

  In truth, I’m much older.

  ?She was created shortly before Gaia and me.?

  At least five thousand years before them.

  Elio stiffens.

  ?How… how can you be ten thousand years old if my sister is twenty??

  Gaia nods, chuckling.

  ?Here, she’s over twenty thousand.?

  Elio forms an O with his mouth.

  ?Oh! Then how do you handle birthday candles??

  Laughter erupts around me. I smile too.

  ?I celebrated my last birthday a thousand years ago,? I murmur.

  ?In six hundred years I’ll turn… eleven thousand.?

  Sixteen thousand.

  Elio looks more relaxed.

  Serena stops massaging.

  ?Elena finds the presence of the Dark King useful. Discovering why is the only thing that might give us a chance to survive. If we let Elena destroy herself, we’ll share the same fate.?

  Elio lowers his gaze.

  ?I’m sorry.?

  Then his eyes widen.

  ?When I came out of the Rift… I felt like I wasn’t alone.?

  A shiver runs through me.

  ?There are other… family members out there?!?

  Why are all these people appearing now, all at once?

  ?I sensed them instinctively. I don’t know how to explain it. I wanted to look for them, but I was attacked.?

  He has a direct connection to them.

  Like I had with Elena.

  I look down, rubbing my hands together.

  More of Elena’s family…

  My superiors?

  No,

  non lo sono.

  Nessuno viene qui a comandarmi.

  Non lo accetterò.

  Se vogliono aiutarmi, va bene.

  Ma non possono calpestarmi.

  Elio si afferra il braccio sinistro. Le bende spuntano dalla manica arancione strappata.

  ?Ti hanno ferito i soldati neri??

  Scuote la testa.

  ?Sono caduto.?

  Annuisco.

  Devo interrogare queste persone.

  Capire cosa sta realmente succedendo.

  Gaia gli afferra il braccio ferito. Lui sussulta.

  ?Puoi mostrarci dove sono??

  Elio annuisce.

  ?Sì, ma... prima devo chiederti un favore. Per un amico. Lui si trova in un posto pericoloso e tu hai il compito di proteggere la tua gente. Sbaglio??