Kai Morgan didn't believe in fate.
He believed in silence. In staying invisible. In slipping through the crowded halls of Lincoln High like a ghost no one noticed. It was safer that way. Easier. Cleaner.
That day had started like any other gray skies, headphones in, hoodie up. Just another Tuesday in a city that never looked up. He hated the noise, the people, the fake smiles.
He was halfway through the alley behind the train station his usual shortcut home when the world stopped.
Literally.
The breeze died mid-blow. The birds overhead froze mid-wing. Even the blinking neon sign above the old diner across the street paused mid-flicker.
And in the center of it all, standing under the rusted fire escape, was a girl.
She wore black from head to toe combat boots, a leather coat, fingerless gloves. Her silver hair fell in a loose braid, sharp against skin so pale it almost glowed. But it was her eyes that made Kai freeze.
They were silver.
Not gray. Not light blue. Metallic, liquid silver, like molten steel that could cut straight through you.
She tilted her head, studying him. "You're late," she said.
Kai blinked. "What?"
She took a step forward. "I've been tracking you for three days. You don't make this easy."
His heart kicked hard against his ribs. "Who the hell are you?"
Instead of answering, she flicked her wrist. A thin blade slid down from her sleeve into her hand curved, black, and humming like it was alive.
"W-wait, what the "
She lunged.
Kai stumbled back, but she moved faster than anything he'd ever seen. One second she was six feet away. The next, the blade was inches from his throat.
And then
BOOM.
A pulse exploded from his chest, invisible and wild. The alley warped. Time bent. The girl flew backward, slammed into the wall with a grunt, and crumpled.
Kai gasped for air, clutching his chest. Something inside him felt like it had cracked open hot, ancient, electric.
The girl groaned, dragging herself up. Her blade was gone. Her eyes, still silver, were wide now. Surprised.
"You really don't know," she muttered. "They were right."
Kai stared at her. "Know what?"
She stood slowly, brushing dust from her coat. "Your blood isn't normal. You're a Keyholder. And whether you like it or not…" She locked eyes with him.
"You're going to open the Gate."
Silence.
The air had returned. Time flowed again. A car honked in the distance. Somewhere, a dog barked.
Kai's thoughts spun like a broken record.
Gate? Keyholder? What the hell was happening?
The girl turned to leave but paused. "They'll come for you now. The Shroud knows you've awakened. If I were you, I'd start running."
"Wait who are you?" he called.
She looked over her shoulder.
"Aria," she said."And next time, I won't miss."
Then she was gone vanished into the noise and blur of the city, like a shadow that had never been real.
Kai stood alone, the echo of her words pounding in his head.
"You're going to open the Gate."
And somehow, deep down…He knew she was right.