THE STEPBROTHER
219 Words
Episode 2
The East Wing felt like a museum. Every footstep echoed, every shadow seemed to move. Mira carried a basket of freshly folded towels, careful not to breathe too loudly. Her thoughts lingered on Elias Storm—the way his eyes chilled the air around him, the power in his silence.
He didn’t just seem cold. He felt... caged.
She paused by the linen closet when a voice, smooth and amused, drifted through the corridor.
"You walk too quietly."
Mira spun around.
Leaning against the archway was a second figure—taller than Elias, broader, with sharp features and a wolfish smile. His hair was darker, messier, and his presence pulsed with quiet strength.
Kael Rivers. Elias’s stepbrother.
"You're not one of the students." He walked closer, gaze locked on hers.
"I’m a housemaid," Mira answered, clutching the basket tighter.
"A maid? In this wing?" His smirk deepened. "Brave."
Mira swallowed. He circled her slowly, not in a threatening way—but like he was testing something. Sensing.
"What’s your name?"
"Mira."
His eyes lingered, expression unreadable.
"Interesting."
Then, just like that, he was gone—vanishing around the corner like a shadow on the run.
Mira exhaled slowly. One brother had slammed the door in her face.
The other? He left it wide open.
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- Writer
