Her expression shifted to one of concern, and she led me to the bed, sitting down beside me. “What is it? What’s going on?”
I looked into her eyes, the words tumbling from my mouth before I could stop them. “Emery, I’ve been given another chance. I don’t know how to explain it, but… I’ve been reborn. I remember everything that’s going to happen, and I’m going to stop it.”
Her eyes widened in shock, but she didn’t pull away or question my sanity. Instead, she reached out and took my hand, her grip firm and reassuring. “Tell me everything.”
And I did. I told her about the betrayal that was yet to come, about Rennon’s choice to abandon me for Paige, and about the horrors that awaited us if we didn’t act. I left out the part about her death—she didn’t need to know that. But I made it clear that we were in danger, and that Paige was not the innocent girl she pretended to be.
When I finished, Emery was silent for a long moment, processing everything I had said. I could see the conflict in her eyes—the struggle to reconcile the sister she knew with the one sitting before her, telling her of a future that hadn’t yet happened.
Finally, she squeezed my hand and nodded. “I believe you. I don’t know how or why, but I believe you.”
Her unwavering faith in me brought fresh tears to my eyes, but this time, I didn’t let them fall. I had cried enough.
“Thank you, Emery,” I whispered, pulling her into another hug. “I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.”
After a while, Emery pulled back, giving me a small smile. “We’re in this together. But for now, you need to rest. You’ve been through a lot.”
I nodded, knowing she was right. But as she left the room, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders.
The hot spring in the forest had always been my sanctuary, a place where I could escape the world and find peace. It was secluded, known only to a few, and I hadn’t visited it in years.
I slipped out of my room, making my way through the darkened corridors of the Ironheart estate. The night air was cool against my skin as I stepped outside, the scent of pine and earth filling my senses. I moved quickly through the forest, my feet carrying me on a path I knew by heart.
When I finally reached the hot spring, the sight of the steam rising from the water brought a small smile to my lips. It was just as I remembered—quiet, serene, untouched by the chaos of the world. This was exactly what I needed.