Selene lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
Her mind replayed the strange dream she had and the unsettling encounter with Rose Grayson.
The more she thought about it, the less sense it made.
Was it a dream? Or had soone used an ability on her?
’I need to get to the bottom of this before the worries take over my brain. I don’t feel like I am ready to waste my ti on my worries.’
She turned onto her side, pulling the blanket tighter around her.
Her Insight should have picked up on any outside influence, but nothing had shown up.
The possibility of a high-class ntal ability gnawed at her. If that were the case, then whoever used it was powerful—powerful enough to bypass her defenses.
Talking to herself hadn’t helped. She needed answers, and she needed them now.
There was only one way to know for sure—a nullifier.
Nullifiers were rare items that could temporarily block any ability’s effects on the user.
It was a one-ti use item and difficult to find, but Selene knew of a dungeon where a few might drop.
The dungeon was dangerous, but danger was nothing new to her.
Her mind began mapping out a plan.
She would need supplies, weapons, and a strategy to get in and out without drawing attention.
She couldn’t risk Zara or Orion finding out—especially not Ethan. But running a dungeon without help would be impossible.
’I will try to do this alone. But if I am found out, I will not refuse help this ti. Pershaps, I will ask for help first this ti.’
It would be a big step for Selene to take all on her own.
Just as she was setting her plan into motion, her door creaked open.
Selene sat up, her hand instinctively moving toward the dagger under her pillow.
Ethan stepped inside, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern.
"You’re still awake?"
Selene’s hand relaxed, but her heart did not.
"Couldn’t sleep."
Ethan lingered by the door.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah."
She hesitated. If she told him about the dungeon, he’d ask questions. He’d want to know why, and she wasn’t ready to answer that.
But if she didn’t say anything, he’d get suspicious anyway.
"Co with on a dungeon raid."
She said, the words leaving her mouth before she fully thought them through.
Ethan’s brows shot up.
"What’s the special occasion?"
Selene frowned.
"What do you an?"
"Well, you usually look for ways to avoid . Now you want to tag along?"
He leaned against the doorfra, crossing his arms.
A pang of guilt twisted in her chest. It wasn’t that she wanted to avoid him—she was just afraid of what he might see if he looked too closely.
"It’s not like that, I... I thought it might be good to train together."
She mumbled.
Ethan’s lips curled into a small, almost teasing smile.
"Training, huh?"
Selene busied herself by rummaging through her gear.
She pulled out her weapons, checking their sharpness, and finally reached for the gun Ethan had given her.
The mont her fingers closed around the handle, a wave of nostalgia washed over her.
It was the sa gun she had used during her last dungeon in her previous life.
The weight of it in her hand, the cool tal against her skin—it brought back mories of chaos, betrayal, and that bitter, burning end.
She moved to slip it into her inventory, but before she could, Ethan was at her side. His hand closed over hers, yanking the gun out of her grip.
"Where did you get this?"
His voice was sharp, his usual calm shattered.
Selene’s defenses rose imdiately.
"A friend gave it to ."
"What friend?"
"That’s none of your business."
Ethan’s expression darkened.
"It is my business. You can’t just carry sothing like this around without telling where it ca from."
"Since when do I have to report to you?"
"Since I’m the one trying to keep you safe!"
Selene’s frustration boiled over. She snatched the gun back from him, her knuckles white around the handle.
"If you don’t rember a thing, then you have no right to ask any questions."
Her words hung in the air, sharp and cold.
Ethan took a step back, his face a mix of confusion and hurt.
"What do you an by that?"
Selene bit her lip. She had said too much. But the anger inside her didn’t let her back down.
"Nothing. Forget it."
"No. Did... Did Ethan give you that gun?"
He reached out, but didn’t touch her. His hand hovered in the space between them.
The way Ethan talked about himself felt strange to Selene. It was almost like he was talking about soone else when he said his na.
Silence wrapped around them, thick and suffocating.
Selene didn’t answer. She couldn’t.
Ethan’s hand dropped to his side. "
Selene..."
Her na on his lips felt heavy. It made her want to scream, to cry, to run. But she stood her ground, her nails biting into her palm.
"If you don’t want to tell . But don’t shut out."
He said, his voice quieter now.
She looked away.
"I’m not."
"Feels like you are."
His words slipped into the cracks of her defenses, and for a mont, she almost told him everything.
About the dream, the unsettling connection with Rose, the fear that her mind wasn’t entirely her own.
But then she rembered how easily the world could shift beneath her feet. How quickly safety could beco danger.
"It’s late. We should get so rest. We’ll head to the dungeon tomorrow."
She said, her voice hollow.
Ethan hesitated. She could feel his eyes on her, searching for sothing—an answer, a sign, anything.
But she didn’t give him the chance. She turned away, pulling the blanket over her shoulders as if it could shield her from his questions.
’This all feels so strange. Why does Ethan feel so familiar sotis but so different? Even mory loss does not explain this.’
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