Valerie sat motionless on the edge of her bed, her fingers tightly gripping the embroidered sheets as Odi's words lingered in her mind. The candlelight flickered across her face, casting long shadows that mirrored the turmoil in her heart. She had spent years watching Heath wield his power, the one true sorcerer of the kingdom, the one anointed by prophecy. For over a years, it had been believed that there could only be one—one sorcerer to maintain balance. And now, here she was, a secret wielder of the same magic, an anomaly, a mistake. Or worse—a villain. This is the reason for her fear, she is scared of being the bad one, of being the one against the kingdom according to the ancient prophesies. She fear what Darius might think of her, she fear being executed.
Her voice came out as a whisper, raw with emotion. "Odi, what if I am the villain the prophecy spoke of?"
Odi looked at her, unwavering. "You are not a villain, Valerie. You have a heart that seeks to protect, not destroy."
"But the kingdom has never known two sorcerers. There is only ever supposed to be one. And Heath has already taken that role. That means…" She swallowed hard, her voice shaking. "That means I am the usurper. If I am found out, the council will demand my execution."
The weight of her words sank deep into the air between them. Valerie had played out this scenario in her mind over and over, lying awake in the dead of night, fearing the moment her secret would be exposed. Magic was already feared, barely tolerated because of Heath's tight control over it. A second sorcerer would be seen as a disruption to the established order. A threat.
Odi moved closer, placing a firm hand on Valerie's shoulder. "Listen to me. You are not a threat. You are a gift."
Valerie shook her head. "No. I am a mistake. My very existence is a contradiction to the order of things. Heath was chosen. He has trained since he was a child, he has the full trust of the kingdom. If they discover me, they will say I am the dark force meant to challenge him." Her voice broke as she whispered, "They will say I must be stopped. They might execute me"
Odi saw the fear in Valerie's eyes, the deep-seated terror of being hunted, of being burned at the stake as the enemy of the kingdom. She had seen this fear before in others who were born different, in those who possessed something the world did not understand. But Valerie was no villain. And the kingdom's rigid beliefs would not define her fate.
"If the world insists there can only be one sorcerer, then perhaps it is time for that belief to change," Odi said firmly.
Valerie scoffed, though her breath hitched. "That is easier said than done. Doctrines are written in blood, Odi. They do not change overnight."
"Then we rewrite them," Odi countered, her voice filled with conviction. "You are a woman, Valerie. Heath is a man. That alone is reason enough to challenge the doctrine. What if the kingdom has been wrong all along? What if there were always supposed to be two?"
Valerie's eyes widened. The thought had never occurred to her. She had spent so long fearing her own existence that she had not even considered the possibility that she was meant to exist. She wished Odi was right, she wanted to believe her, she needed the reassurance that she wasn't a mistake and she wasn't meant to be a villain.
Odi squeezed her hand. "You are not alone in this. And if the world finds out, your brother, the king will not let anything happen to you."
Valerie exhaled sharply, pressing a hand to her temple. "Darius has no say in this. The council rules over magic. Even he cannot defy them."
"Do you really believe that?" Odi asked. "Do you think Darius would ever stand by and let them take you? You are his sister, Valerie. He would burn the entire kingdom down before he let them touch you."
A soft knock at the door startled them both. Odi swiftly rose to her feet, stepping back as Valerie wiped at her face, hiding any traces of distress. The door creaked open, and King Darius stepped in. He paused in surprise at the sight before him—his sister, looking more vulnerable than he had ever seen her, and Odi standing protectively beside her.
Darius hesitated. "Am I interrupting?"
Valerie straightened, schooling her expression. "No, we were just finishing."
Odi nodded and turned to leave, but as she passed Darius, she felt his eyes on her. The intensity of his gaze made her heart stutter. He was watching her differently now, as if she were an enigma he desperately wanted to understand. Odi kept her head high, refusing to acknowledge the way her pulse quickened under his scrutiny.
Darius turned back to his sister. "What was that about?"
Valerie hesitated, considering how much to reveal. She could see the concern in his eyes, the way he always seemed to shoulder the burdens of the kingdom alone. If he knew the truth about her powers, would he protect her, or would he fear her like the rest of them would?
"Just girl talk," she said lightly, forcing a small smile. "Odi has a way of making people feel less alone."
Darius exhaled and sat beside her. "You know you can always talk to me, Valerie."
She wanted to. She wanted to tell him everything. But the words stayed trapped in her throat. She could not risk it. Not yet.
Instead, she leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I know, big brother."
And for now, that would have to be enough.
Darius watched her, then he gave her a shy smile. "you know, you could help me talk to her"
"Talk to who?" Valerie is curious. The she realised after Darius starts blushing, "oh no..."
"oh yes, just make her see that I am not all that bad, and buying her from her master, Oliver was the only thing I can do to free her, she would be killed if I set her free completely"
"For real?"
"Yes, now she hates me because I 'enslaved' her" he rolled his eyes.
"I don't think she hates you, I guess she has just been through alot"
"so would you help me?" Darius grinned.