I jerked awake, my breath hitching as I was pulled violently back into reality.
The scent of sterilized linens. The distant sound of footsteps beyond the door. The soft glow of evening light filtering through white curtains.
The infirmary. Again.
How many times had I woken up in this exact room now? It was starting to feel like some twisted routine.
I groaned softly, pressing a hand against my forehead as I tried to steady myself. But no amount of deep breathing could erase what had just happened—
Because the memories were still there.
Crystal clear, lodged in my mind as if they had always belonged to me.
Sera Vandren's magic. Her abilities. The way she wielded both fire and ice with seamless precision. The way she fought, moved, thought.
All of it.
It wasn't just knowledge—it was experience.
I could feel it.
If I focused, I could almost recall the motions, the muscle memory. As if my body already knew exactly what to do if I let it.
It was terrifying.
And then, there was the other part.
Watching her—**the original Sera Vandren—**living out her past as if I were nothing but a silent spectator, a ghost drifting through her memories.
It felt real.
Because, it was real.
That hadn't been just some dream or illusion. That had been her past. The whispers, the way she was treated, the cold yet carefully controlled way she handled Camille, Evelyn, everything.
And I… I had seen something that was never written in the novel.
The real Sera Vandren.
And the more I learned about her, the more I realized—
She was never the villain at all.
She had been shaped into one.
Framed. Hated. Misunderstood.
I had read her story as a villainess who fell, but the more I unraveled the truth, the more I understood that… maybe she was never supposed to be the villain in the first place.
But as of right now, I still needed more information. I needed to experience more, to see more—to understand exactly why the original Sera Vandren had chosen now to return, why she had come into my consciousness.
There were too many missing pieces, too many layers to uncover.
What was the author of Revenge of the Fallen Villainess really thinking?
Had I misunderstood everything all along?
I let out a slow breath, my head throbbing as the title itself replayed in my mind. Revenge.
Why hadn't I thought of it sooner?
It wasn't just a dramatic title thrown in for effect—it was the entire foundation of the story.
Revenge.
What if the novel wasn't just about the villainess falling—but about her trying to get back at something?
What if her revenge wasn't aimed at the heroines or the love interests—but something else?
A sharp pang shot through my skull, pulling me back to the present. My head was aching as if something inside it was trying to force its way out.
I was missing something. Something crucial.
Then—
A voice cut through the haze of my thoughts.
"You're awake."
I blinked, the brightness of the infirmary lights stinging my eyes as I slowly turned my head toward the doorway. There, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, golden eyes sharp with curiosity, was Evelyn Sinclair.
I swallowed, trying to shake off the sluggishness weighing down my limbs. "How long was I out?" I asked, my voice coming out hoarse.
"Almost an entire day," she replied, her gaze unreadable as she stepped closer.
A whole day? That wasn't normal. Even after exhausting training sessions, even after moments where I pushed myself, I had never collapsed like that before.
I forced a small, tired chuckle. "I guess I was just… tired."
Evelyn tilted her head slightly, watching me with an expression I couldn't quite place. "It's unusual," she said, and it wasn't a question.
I shifted under her gaze.
Then, without another word, she reached for my necklace.
I barely had time to react before her fingers brushed against my skin, the lightest touch grazing my collarbone as she lifted the pendant between her fingers.
A strange warmth spread across my chest, but it wasn't from my own magic. It was from her.
I stiffened, my breath catching slightly. "Um—?"
Evelyn, completely unfazed, turned the pendant slightly between her fingers, watching as the gem embedded in it pulsed with a faint, golden glow.
"The fire gem," she murmured, "it's reacting."
I looked down, and sure enough, the faint glow pulsed, as if alive.
"Huh?" My brows furrowed. "That… that wasn't glowing before."
Evelyn's lips pressed into a thin line. "Then something changed. Either it protected you… or amplified something inside you."
Her gaze flickered back to mine, sharp and searching. "Do you feel different?"
I hesitated.
Yes.
I felt heavier, like there was something else inside of me now, something shifting, settling.
Like I wasn't just myself anymore.
I felt stronger, but at the same time… unsteady. Like I was carrying something I wasn't supposed to have.
But I couldn't tell her that.
Not yet.
So instead, I shook my head. "Just… a headache. Nothing else."
Evelyn didn't look convinced, but after a moment, she let it go.
"Alright," she said finally. "But if you feel anything unusual—**anything—**you come to me. Understood?"
I nodded, grateful she wasn't pushing.
She exhaled softly, stepping back. "Good. Because I don't know if you've realized this, but the others are worried sick about you."
That made me blink.
"They… are?"
Evelyn chuckled. "Of course they are. You have really good friends, Sera."
Friends.
The word settled in my chest, warm and unfamiliar.
Once upon a time, I had wanted nothing to do with them. I had tried to keep my distance, tried to avoid them—tried not to care.
But now?
I couldn't imagine a world where I didn't.
I swallowed, gripping the fabric of my blanket.
"…I know," I said quietly.
Evelyn gave a small smile, almost like she was pleased with my answer.
Then, with a final glance at me, she turned toward the door.
"Rest up," she said. "I'll let the others know you're awake."
And just like that, she was gone.
Leaving me alone with my thoughts.
My secrets.
I
I held the fire gem between my fingers, feeling the warmth pulsating from it like a tiny ember cradled in my palm. It was steady, constant, as if it were alive.
Ms. Sinclair said that it might have amplified something within me. But was that really all? Or was it connected to something more—something deeper?
Was it because of her?
Because of Sera sharing her memories of magic with me?
Did that mean my abilities had been enhanced? Strengthened beyond what they should be?
The questions whirled in my mind, but I didn't have the luxury of contemplating them for long—
Because at that exact moment, the door to the infirmary slammed open.
And in a blur of energy and chaos—
Claire.
Claire launched herself at me.
"CLAIRE—!"
Before I could even react, she tackled me onto the bed, arms locking around me in a crushing hug that knocked the breath from my lungs.
Oh god—she was going to kill me before anything else did.
"YOU'RE OKAY!" she cried dramatically, her grip tightening even more.
"I THINK—" I gasped, struggling to breathe, "YOU MIGHT'VE JUST DONE MORE DAMAGE THAN WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO ME!"
But, of course, she didn't listen.
"Do you have ANY idea how worried we were?!" Claire huffed, pulling back only slightly to grab my face, squeezing my cheeks between her hands. "You passed out, Sera! And not just for a few minutes—an entire day! We thought something serious happened to you!"
Behind her, I barely had time to process the four others filing into the room—Camille, Tessa, Lillian, and Diana—before Claire dramatically collapsed onto me again.
"I thought I'd lost you!" she wailed.
"You're literally crushing me—"
"You have no idea how horrible it was!"
"I'M LIVING THE HORROR RIGHT NOW!"
She finally, finally loosened her grip, just enough for me to inhale properly again.
"You scared us," Lillian said softly, stepping closer to my bedside. She was composed as always, but I could see the worry behind her emerald-green eyes. "When we heard you collapsed, we didn't know what had happened."
"We had to drag Claire away so she wouldn't break down the door earlier," Camille added, smirking as she leaned casually against the wall. "Which, as you can see, only delayed the inevitable."
"I would've kicked it down myself if they let me," Claire huffed.
"You should be grateful that I was the one who held her back, Sera," Diana said, arms crossed as she surveyed me with her usual calculating gaze. "Otherwise, you would have woken up buried under an actual mountain of excessive affection."
Tessa snorted from the other side of the room. "Not like that stopped her now."
"I will NOT apologize for my love and concern!" Claire shot back.
I let out a long sigh, rubbing my temples as I sat up properly. My entire body still felt off. Lighter, yet heavier at the same time. My magic still hummed just beneath my skin, different than before.
And despite their usual banter, I could tell they were all genuinely worried.
"Guys, I'm fine," I said, softer this time. "Really."
They didn't look convinced.
"You don't just collapse for no reason," Lillian said, studying me closely. "Was it something with your magic?"
I hesitated.
Should I tell them?
Should I tell them everything?
About the original Sera. About the memories. About the growing connection that I didn't understand.
Would they even believe me?
"I…"
I swallowed, forcing a small smile. "I just overdid it during training."
Technically not a lie.
Tessa's gaze lingered on me for a second longer than the others, her crimson eyes unreadable. Did she suspect something?
Before she could say anything, Claire flopped against my shoulder, sighing dramatically. "Don't scare us like that again, okay?"
I let out a small laugh despite myself. "I'll try."
She narrowed her eyes at me. "You promise?"
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, Claire. I promise."
At that, she finally seemed satisfied, grinning as she ruffled my hair. "Good. Because I'm not above personally babysitting you to make sure it doesn't happen again."
I groaned. "Oh, great. That's exactly what I need—a personal bodyguard."
"Say the word, Sera, and I'll make it official," Camille added, smirking.
"Hard pass!"
The room filled with laughter, the tension easing just a little. And for now, I let myself be distracted—just for a moment—from the storm of unanswered questions still raging inside me.
Because even if everything was changing—
Even if I was changing—
At least, for now—I wasn't alone.