Ayden stared at his reflection in the mirror.
His ribs still ached, and the faint scar on his temple pulsed like a warning. But that wasn't what bothered him.
It was the girl sleeping in the guest room.
The one who had fallen out of nowhere.
The one who should not exist.
Kael.
He didn't know how to explain it, but something about her drew him in—like gravity bending toward the unknown. The way she looked at everything with quiet wonder. The way she flinched when thunder cracked overhead. The way she whispered to herself in a language that didn't belong on Earth.
He pulled on his blazer and school tie with a sigh.
"It's going to be a weird day."
---
Edenvale High School
The gates of Edenvale looked more like the entrance to an ancient castle than a school—arched stone pillars, climbing ivy, and a massive gold bell that rang every hour like a heartbeat.
Ayden barely stepped onto campus before whispers began.
"Who's she?"
"Is that his girlfriend?"
"No way—did you see her eyes?"
Kael walked beside him, holding the school registration form like it was a sacred text. She wore the borrowed uniform awkwardly, her white blouse tucked too perfectly, her hair falling like sunlight over her shoulders.
She looked ethereal. Untouchable. Out of place.
Just like he felt.
---
Inside the Headmistress's Office
"I don't have a birth certificate," Kael said, blinking innocently.
The headmistress narrowed her eyes. "No records at all?"
"She's been abroad," Ayden lied smoothly. "No parents. Just moved in with me."
Kael nodded solemnly, as though it were the truth. Maybe, in some strange way, it was.
The headmistress sighed. "We'll place her in Year Two. Ayden, she'll be in your class. But I'm holding you responsible."
"Got it," he said.
As they walked out, Kael whispered, "Was that… deception?"
Ayden gave her a sideways glance. "Welcome to high school."
---
Homeroom
The moment Kael stepped inside Class 2-B, time seemed to freeze.
All eyes turned.
Boys gawked. Girls whispered.
She walked slowly, observing desks and windows like a museum exhibit. When she reached the back, her gaze landed on one person.
Zion Idris.
He didn't whisper. Didn't stare.
He simply watched her with cold, sharp eyes. As if he already knew.
Kael sat beside Ayden, her back straight, her eyes forward. But she could feel Zion's gaze like a blade pressed to her shoulder.
He knew.
---
Lunch Break
The cafeteria buzzed with gossip.
"Is she royalty?"
"An exchange student?"
"Did you see her sketching stars in her notebook?"
Ayden plopped a tray in front of Kael, who was staring at a boiled egg like it might explode.
"You... uh, crack it," he said.
She blinked. "Violence?"
He chuckled. "Just breakfast."
But before they could eat, Zion slid into the seat across from them.
"Kael, right?"
She looked up slowly. "Yes."
"You're not from around here." It wasn't a question.
Kael tilted her head. "Neither are you."
Ayden looked between them. "Okay, weirdest conversation ever."
Zion leaned forward. "You're hiding something. I can feel it."
Kael didn't answer. But for the first time since she fell, her fingers twitched with light beneath the table.
Something was wrong with Zion too.
---
Later That Night
Kael stood on the rooftop of Ayden's home, gazing at the stars.
They felt… distant now. Like a home she could see but never touch again.
"You're not like them," a voice whispered behind her.
She turned. Zion stood there, hands in pockets, eyes glowing faintly in the dark.
"You fell," he said softly. "Didn't you?"
Kael didn't answer.
Zion stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "And if you don't remember why... I'll help you. Because I've seen this before. My brother died for one of you."
Kael's heart thundered in her chest. Human hearts weren't supposed to feel this heavy.
"I'm not here to hurt anyone," she
whispered.
"Then you better remember who you are before it's too late," Zion said. "Because something's coming—and it's not from this world."