Aria's POV
I can't move.
The woman in the garden stares up at me with those glowing gold eyes. She lifts her blank wrist again, pointing at it, then at me.
She knows what I am.
Because she's the same.
I grab my phone and run out of my room, down the hallway to Caspian's study. I burst through the door without knocking.
He's at his desk, looking at security feeds. He jumps up when he sees my face. What happened?
There's someone outside. A woman. She has blank wrists like mine. She's
An alarm blares through the mansion.
Caspian's face goes pale. The wards. Someone's breaking through them.
On the security screens, I see her. The woman is walking toward the front door like she owns the place. And everywhere she steps, the magical wards flicker and die.
How is she doing that? I whisper.
She's disrupting the magic. Only someone with very specific power could Caspian stops, realization dawning. She's resurrected. Like you. But she's been back longer. Learned to control her abilities.
The front door explodes inward.
Stay here, Caspian orders, grabbing a weapon from his desk drawer a knife that glows with silver light.
Not a chance. I follow him out.
We reach the entrance hall just as the woman steps inside. Up close, she's even more beautiful and more terrifying. Her dark hair moves like it's underwater. Her skin glows faintly gold.
And her smile is sharp as broken glass.
Hello, Aria, she says. Her voice sounds like wind chimes. I've been looking for you.
Who are you? I demand.
My name is Mara. And I'm like you brought back from death by someone foolish enough to think they could cheat the natural order. She walks closer, her bare feet silent on the marble floor. But unlike you, I've been alive again for five years. I've mastered what you're just beginning to understand.
Caspian steps between us. Leave. Now. Or I'll make you.
Mara laughs. Oh, the devoted one who paid the price. How sweet. But you can't hurt me, Caspian Vorelis. Your magic won't work on someone like me.
She flicks her wrist.
Caspian flies backward, crashing into the wall. He hits hard and doesn't get up.
CASPIAN! I run to him. He's breathing but unconscious.
Don't worry, he'll live. I just needed him out of the way. Mara crouches in front of me. You and I need to talk. Sister to sister.
I'm not your sister.
We're both resurrected. Both cursed to never love or be loved. Both hunted by people who want to use our power. Her gold eyes bore into mine. We're more sisters than blood could ever make us.
I stand up, putting myself between her and Caspian. What do you want?
To help you. To teach you. To show you what you really are. Mara stands too. You healed a Revenant. Used your power as a weapon against Julian. You're learning, but you're sloppy. Untrained. You could hurt someone you care about if you're not careful.
How do you know about that?
Because I've been watching. Studying you. Making sure you survived long enough to be useful. She tilts her head. The person who brought you back did they tell you about the Organization?
What organization?
The one that's been collecting resurrected people for decades. Studying us. Using us. Controlling us. Mara's expression darkens. They're the ones who sent those hunters after you. They're the ones who tested you with the Revenant. And they're the ones who will come for you eventually, unless you learn to fight back.
My head spins. You're lying.
Am I? Then explain the mysterious M who's been texting you. The watchers outside your house. The feeling that you're always being observed. Mara pulls out her phone and shows me a photo.
It's me. At the hospital. Healing my father.
Someone photographed me using my power.
They know what you can do, Mara says quietly. And they want you. Just like they wanted me. Just like they've wanted every resurrected person they could find.
What happened to the others?
Some joined them. Some fought and died. Some She looks away. Some became experiments. Test subjects for their research into controlling resurrection magic.
Horror crawls up my spine. Why are you telling me this?
Because I'm recruiting. Mara's smile returns. I've been building a group. Resurrected people who refuse to be controlled. We're going to take down the Organization. Destroy their research. Free everyone they've captured. And I want you to join us.
I don't even know you!
But you will. Because they're coming for you, Aria. Tonight. And you have two choices come with me willingly, or wait for them to take you by force.
As if on cue, headlights flood through the broken front door.
Three black vehicles pull up outside. Men in tactical gear pour out, carrying those same blue glowing devices I saw at the bookshop.
Hunters. Lots of them.
They tracked me here, Mara says, not sounding worried at all. I knew they would. That's why I came tonightto give you a choice before they take it away.
You led them here?!
I gave you a demonstration of what's coming. Mara extends her hand. Come with me. I'll teach you to control your power. To fight. To survive. Or stay here and let them capture you. Your choice.
Behind me, Caspian groans and starts to wake up.
The hunters are at the door now, weapons raised.
And I have to decide: trust the mysterious resurrected woman who broke into my sanctuary, or face an army of people who want to cage me.
Aria... Caspian's voice is weak. Don't... trust her...
He's right not to trust me, Mara says. But he can't protect you from what's coming. I can.
The hunters burst through the door.
Last chance, Mara says. Choose.
I look at Caspian, struggling to stand. At the hunters pointing weapons at us. At Mara, offering a hand that might lead to freedom or to something worse.
And I make a choice.
I grab Mara's hand.
Light explodes from where we touch golden, brilliant, blinding. When it clears, we're no longer in the mansion.
We're standing in a dark warehouse, surrounded by other people. At least a dozen of them, all watching me with glowing gold eyes.
All resurrected.
Welcome to the Returned, Mara says, smiling. Your real family.
I yank my hand away. What did you just do? Where are we?
Somewhere safe. Somewhere the Organization can't find you. Mara gestures to the others. These are your brothers and sisters. People like us who refuse to be controlled.
A young man steps forward. His blank wrist catches the dim light. You're the one who healed a Revenant. That's amazing.
I'm Marcus. I've been back for three years. He smiles, and it's genuine. Warm.
Others introduce themselves. Sarah, back for two years. Chen, back for four. Each one with their own story of dying and returning wrong.
This is kidnapping, I say to Mara. You kidnapped me.
I saved you. There's a difference. Mara walks to a table covered in papers and photos. Look at this. Every file is a resurrected person the Organization has captured. Thirty-seven people in the last decade. They experimented on them, trying to figure out how to control resurrection magic. Most didn't survive.
She shows me photos of people in cells. In labs. Hooked up to machines.
My stomach turns.
This is what they do, Mara says quietly. This is what they wanted to do to you. To all of us.
But Caspian he's still at the mansion. The hunters
Will leave him alone. They only want resurrected people. He's safe. Mara puts a hand on my shoulder. You did the right thing, Aria. You chose survival.
I push her hand away. I chose not to be captured. That doesn't mean I trust you.
Good. You shouldn't trust anyone easily. That's smart. Mara's smile is approving. But I'm not your enemy. The Organization is. And I'm going to teach you how to fight them.
I want to go back.
You can't. Not yet. They'll be watching Caspian's mansion for weeks. Waiting for you to return. Mara crosses her arms. You're stuck here. Might as well learn something useful.
I look around at all these people these strangers who died and came back just like me. They're all watching me with a mixture of curiosity and understanding.
One woman, older than the rest, steps forward. I know you're scared. We all were when Mara found us. But she's telling the truth. The Organization is real. And they're dangerous.
How do I know you're not all working for them? I challenge.
You don't, Mara admits. But you'll figure it out. You're smart. That's why I want you.
My phone buzzes in my pocket. A text from Caspian:
Where are you? Are you safe?
I start to reply, but Mara plucks the phone from my hand.
No contact with the outside world. Not until we're sure you're not being tracked. She pockets it. You can have it back in a few days.
You can't just
I can. And I am. Because I'm keeping you alive, whether you appreciate it or not. Mara's expression softens slightly. I know this is scary. But you're part of something bigger now. Something important. And I promise by the time you leave here, you'll be strong enough to face anything.
When can I leave?
When you're ready. Mara turns to the others. Marcus, show her to a room. Let her rest. Tomorrow, training begins.
As Marcus leads me away, I look back at Mara. She's already studying those files again, her face grim and determined.
What have I gotten myself into?
And more importantly can I trust any of these people?
Or did I just trade one prison for another?
Timeline: Day 4, Early Morning