Arwen POV
I grabbed the nearest thing—a hairbrush—and hurled it at the mirror.
It bounced off harmlessly, clattering to the floor. The frosted words were already gone, melted into nothing. But my reflection stared back at me with wide, terrified eyes.
*"THE SERPENT SEES YOU"*
What did that mean? How could the Serpent King know about me? Know I was different?
Unless... unless he'd come back too.
The thought made my knees weak. I stumbled to my bed and sat down hard, trying to breathe. Trying to think.
In my first life, I'd barely looked at the Serpent King. He was just a shadow in the corner, a monster everyone avoided. But what if he'd been watching me the whole time? What if he remembered everything, just like I did?
What if I wasn't alone in this nightmare?
My hands were shaking. I pressed them flat against my legs, forcing myself to focus. To plan. Panic wouldn't save me. Only strategy would.
I grabbed paper and a pen from my desk and started writing.
---
**Things I Know:**
**1. Marguerite is poisoning Father with shadow root. He'll die in eight months if I don't stop it.**
**2. Ronan is working for the Coalition. They paid him to bond with me, steal my inheritance, then kill me.**
**3. Celeste wants Ronan for herself. She'll help frame me for poisoning her in three years.**
**4. The Coalition wants all beast tamers dead. They know about my mother's bloodline somehow.**
My pen paused on that last one. In my first life, I'd died not knowing why they really wanted me dead. I'd thought it was just about money and jealousy.
But in those final moments, right before the flames took me, I'd heard one of the Coalition leaders say something: *"The tamer bloodline ends today."*
I hadn't understood it then. Now, with Thalia's words echoing in my mind from memories that hadn't happened yet, I knew the truth.
My mother was a beast tamer. And somehow, I'd inherited that power.
Power that could unite shifters and humans. Power that threatened the Coalition's plan to keep everyone separated and afraid.
They'd wanted me dead before I ever figured out what I could do.
I added to my list:
**5. I have beast tamer blood. That makes me dangerous to the Coalition.**
**6. I need protection from someone they can't buy or threaten.**
**7. I need the Serpent King.**
I stared at that last line. In my first life, choosing Ronan had felt safe. Comfortable. He was handsome and charming, and everyone approved.
Choosing the Serpent King would be the opposite. Dangerous. Terrifying. Everyone would think I'd lost my mind.
Perfect.
If I wanted to survive, I needed to do everything differently this time. And that meant making the choice that scared everyone—including myself.
I started a new list:
**People Who Need to Pay:**
**1. Ronan Silverfox - Made me love him, stole everything, watched me burn.**
**2. Celeste - Framed me, pretended to cry at my execution.**
**3. Marguerite - Poisoned Father, helped plan my death.**
**4. The Coalition - Hunted my mother's bloodline, want all tamers dead.**
My hand tightened on the pen until it hurt. These people had taken everything from me. My money, my reputation, my life.
This time, I'd take everything from them first.
A knock on the door made me jump. I quickly shoved the papers under my pillow.
"Lady Arwen?" Mary's voice called. "May I come in?"
"Yes," I said, trying to sound normal.
Mary entered with an armful of fabric—my ceremony dress. "Your stepmother wants you to wear this today. She had it specially made."
The dress was beautiful. Soft pink with silver embroidery, delicate and feminine. Exactly the kind of thing the old Arwen would have loved.
I hated it on sight.
"It's lovely," I lied.
Mary started laying it out on the bed, then paused. She looked at me with concern. "Lady Arwen, are you feeling alright? You seem... different today."
My stomach clenched. Was it that obvious? Could people tell I'd changed?
"I'm just nervous," I said quickly. "The Choosing Ceremony is a big moment."
"Of course." But Mary didn't look convinced. She'd been my maid since I was a child. She knew me too well. "Lady Arwen, can I say something?"
"Always."
Mary hesitated, then spoke quietly. "Be careful who you choose today. Not everyone is what they seem. Some people... some people wear pretty masks to hide ugly intentions."
I stared at her. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that Lord Ronan has been visiting this house a lot lately. Meeting with your stepmother when your father is asleep. I've heard them talking about money. About debts." Mary looked scared, like she'd said too much. "I probably shouldn't have said anything. But you've always been kind to me, and I... I don't want to see you get hurt."
My heart squeezed. In my first life, Mary had tried to warn me. I remembered now—she'd made little comments, asked careful questions. And I'd ignored every single one because I was too blinded by Ronan's smile.
"Thank you, Mary," I said, meaning it. "I'll be careful. I promise."
She nodded, relieved. "Good. Now, shall I help you get ready?"
"Actually," I said slowly, an idea forming. "Do we have any other dresses? Maybe something in... darker colors?"
Mary blinked in surprise. "Darker colors? For a Choosing Ceremony? That's unusual, my lady."
"I know. But I want to stand out. Make a statement."
A slow smile spread across Mary's face. "There's a dress in the back of your wardrobe. Your mother wore it once, years ago. It's deep green, almost black. Very striking."
My mother's dress. Perfect.
"Let's use that one," I said.
As Mary went to find it, I pulled my lists back out from under the pillow. I had one more thing to add.
**How to Win:**
**1. Choose the Serpent King - get protection from someone the Coalition fears.**
**2. Save Father - prove Marguerite is poisoning him.**
**3. Expose Ronan - reveal his debts and Coalition connections.**
**4. Learn my tamer powers - become too dangerous to kill.**
**5. Make them all regret the day they betrayed me.**
I folded the paper and tucked it into my bodice, close to my heart. My battle plan. My survival guide.
The door burst open without warning.
Celeste stood there, her face twisted with anger. "What did you do?"
"What?" I stood up quickly. "I don't—"
"Don't play innocent!" She stormed into my room. "Ronan just sent a message. He says he needs to speak with me urgently before the ceremony. Why would he do that unless you said something?"
My mind raced. I hadn't done anything. Hadn't even left my room since breakfast.
Unless...
"I have no idea what you're talking about," I said carefully.
"Liar!" Celeste's eyes were wild. Desperate. "He's supposed to bond with you today. Mother has it all planned. But now he's acting strange, and I know it's your fault!"
"Celeste, I haven't spoken to Ronan at all—"
"He's MINE!" she screamed, and for a second, something flickered across her skin. Something that looked almost like... feathers?
I stepped back, shocked. The swan shifter blood. Even now, even before everything fell apart, her true nature was trying to break free.
Mary appeared in the doorway. "Lady Celeste, please lower your voice. The neighbors—"
"Get out!" Celeste snapped at her. Then she turned back to me, breathing hard. "If you ruin this for me, Arwen, I swear I'll make you sorry. Ronan is going to be mine. One way or another."
She spun around and left, slamming the door so hard the walls shook.
I stood frozen, my mind spinning. Something had changed. Something I didn't plan for.
Why was Ronan contacting Celeste before the ceremony? That hadn't happened in my first life.
Mary touched my arm gently. "My lady, what was that about?"
"I don't know," I whispered. "But something's wrong."
I walked to the window, looking out at the city. In a few hours, I'd be at the Choosing Ceremony. I'd walk past Ronan and choose the Serpent King instead.
That was the plan.
But what if Ronan had a different plan now? What if coming back in time had changed things in ways I didn't expect?
My wrist suddenly burned. I looked down and gasped.
The red mark was back—but this time, it wasn't alone. Words were appearing on my skin, writing themselves in what looked like dark ink:
*"He knows you returned. He's coming for you early. Choose quickly, or die again."*
The words faded as fast as they'd appeared.
My blood turned to ice.
Someone was warning me. Someone who knew about the time loop. Someone who could write messages on my skin.
The Serpent King.
And if he was warning me that Ronan knew I'd come back...
The door crashed open again. But this time it wasn't Celeste.
It was Ronan himself, his golden eyes blazing with fury and something else—something that looked like fear.
"Hello, Arwen," he said softly, dangerously. "We need to talk about how you're still alive."