Aria
The bell rings again.
Low, booming, vibrating through the bones of the castle. Every door swings open as if pulled by invisible hands. Bubbles lifts its head from the end of my bed, ears twitching. I already know what it means. Another Game.
I dress quickly. The air feels heavier today, thicker somehow, like the castle is holding its breath. When I step into the corridor, others are already moving in the same direction, their footsteps soft but sure. No one speaks. We don't need to. The air hums with dread.
The mirrors are waiting for us.
We gather again in the hall, and the sight of them makes my stomach twist. Dozens of mirrors line the walls, their surfaces dark and pulsing faintly, like water reflecting lightning. Each one feels alive. Watching.
Kael stands at
