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Chapter 253
~Zade’s POV~
The corridor leading to Zara’s chambers stretched ahead as far as my thoughts went, with the faint echoes of my footsteps breaking the quietness of the passage while Delia’s words replayed in my mind, fuelling a storm of confusion and frustration.
Reborn. Destined to unite us all.
How had I missed this? How had Zara kept sothing so monuntal from , her brother? I understood that we hadn’t been closed since she ca back but truly it hurt still.
My jaw clenched as I reached her door, my knuckles rapping sharply against the wood.
"Co in," Zara’s voice called softly.
I pushed the door open to find both Zara and Snow sitting on the bed. Their postures were relaxed, yet the tension in the air was clear as the night sky without stars.
Snow turned to , his expression guarded, while Zara’s eyes betrayed a hint of nervousness.
"Reborn," I said flatly, stepping into the room. "And you didn’t think to tell ?"
Zara and Snow exchanged a glance before looking back at .
"Answer !" I thundered, my voice echoing off the walls.
Snow imdiately rose to his feet, his glare eting mine. "Hey, calm down. She doesn’t need this right now."
"Don’t tell to calm down, Snow," I snapped, my anger spilling over.
Snow stepped into my line of sight, his presence an undeniable wall. "She’s been through enough. Back off, Zade."
I shoved him aside, glaring at Zara. "You know what hurts the most? Soone as random as Kaid’s cousin informing !"
Both Zara and Snow froze, their eyes wide in unison. "What?" they blurted out together.
"Yeah," I spat. "So, are you keeping secrets from your own blood and sharing them with strangers instead?"
Zara ran a hand through her hair, letting out a tired sigh. "Zade, it’s not what you think. I haven’t told anyone but Snow, and that was just recently. Today."
"Then how the hell does Kaid’s cousin know?" I shot back.
Snow frowned, his gaze darting between and Zara. "That doesn’t make sense," he muttered.
"It doesn’t?" I barked. "Then maybe she’s been careless, speaking where she shouldn’t."
"Stop it, Zade," Zara said, her voice firm but pained. "I’ve been careful. I didn’t want to tell anyone because I wasn’t ready. Not even you."
Her words cut deep, but I couldn’t let it show. "You didn’t think I deserved to know? Your brother?"
"It’s not about deserving, Zade!" Zara’s voice rose, and for the first ti, I saw her frustration bubbling over. "It’s about fear. Do you know how terrifying it is to tell soone you’ve lived three lives? That you’re a witch? That you’re carrying the weight of so prophecy you didn’t ask for?"
Snow placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch grounding her. "Zade, she’s telling the truth," he added. "I only found out today, and trust , it’s a lot to take in. She’s not hiding this from you to hurt you."
I stared at them, the heat of my anger slowly ebbing as the weight of Zara’s words sank in. "Fuck," I muttered, running a hand down my face. "I should have known."
"Zade?" Snow called out cautiously.
I looked up at them, exhaling heavily. "There was a file once. On Kaid. It ntioned his cousin—Delia.
She’s known for her sharp ears and penchant for gossip. If she was lurking nearby, she could’ve overheard you."
Zara’s shoulders sagged slightly, relief and exhaustion mingling in her expression. "I see..." She looked at apologetically. "I’m sorry, Zade. I never ant to hurt you or keep this from you. I just wasn’t ready."
I nodded, finally letting go of the tension in my chest. "Alright. I get it. But next ti, don’t let find out from soone else. We’re family, Zara."
She gave a faint smile, the weight of the mont still hanging between us.
Snow glanced between us, then took a step back. "I’ll leave you two to talk."
"No," Zara said quickly, her hand reaching for his. "Stay, Snow. I want you here."
Snow hesitated before sitting back down beside her.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped closer, pulling up a chair. "Zara," I said, eting her gaze. "Mind-link with . Speak freely. Let hear everything."
Her eyes softened, and she nodded. The next mont, her voice was in my mind, clear and unfiltered.
"I’m sorry for keeping this from you, Zade. It wasn’t easy, and I didn’t know how to tell you. But I need you to trust ."
"I do trust you," I replied sincerely. "But I need to know everything. No more secrets."
She told about her past lives, her deaths at the hands of Ivan and Clarissa, and her rebirths. She spoke of Siona, the prophecy, and the role she was ant to play.
Snow’s hand never left hers, his presence a steady anchor as she revealed the weight she carried.
When she finished, I leaned back, exhaling heavily. "You’ve been through hell," I said aloud, my voice filled with emotion.
She gave a small nod. "I have. But I’m here now, Zade. And I need you to stand by ."
"You know I will," I said firmly.
There was a mont of silence before Zara straightened slightly. "I need to pay Delia a visit," she said.
"What?" Snow and I said in unison.
"She knows too much," Zara explained. "If she overheard us, she might know things she shouldn’t. I need to make sure she doesn’t beco a threat."
Snow frowned. "Are you sure you’re up for that? You’re still recovering."
"I’ll be fine," Zara insisted.
"And you won’t go alone."
I exchanged a glance with Snow before nodding. "True. We’re coming with you."
"Of course not," Zara said, raising her palm to stop us as a dark glint flashed in her eyes. "I need to do this alone. Coming with you two would seem threatening. I want her to feel at ease."
As Zara stood, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride for my sister. She was stronger than I had ever given her credit for, and I would do whatever it took to protect her.
"Zara," I began, but she stopped .
"Let , Zade. She had it coming. I must visit Delia."
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