Two Worlds, Book 2

Chapter 8: Bonds

Sydney settled onto a root, pulling her book into her lap. She thumbed the edge of the worn pages but didn't open it, her eyes drifting toward Alan as he pulled out a notebook, its pages crammed with scribbles and rough sketches. She hesitated, then spoke, her voice light but laced with curiosity.

"That thing you're always scribbling about—what's it actually about?"

Alan's head snapped up, his face immediately lighting up. "Oh! Okay, so—it's a high-stakes campaign set in a kingdom on the verge of collapse. There's a hidden artifact that can either save or destroy it, but the catch is, the heroes don't know which. And—"

His hands moved as fast as his words, drawing shapes in the air as he described the treacherous dungeons, cursed relics, and morally grey choices his characters would face.

Kara groaned, flopping dramatically onto the branch. "God, here we go. Somebody stop him before he starts speaking Elvish."

But despite her exaggerated protest, she hadn't looked away. Her foot swung absently in the air, and when Alan mentioned a betrayal subplot, her brows lifted—just slightly.

Sydney, watching them both, hid a small smile. "Sounds complicated."

Alan nodded, eyes gleaming. "That's the point! The players have to think—who do they trust? What's the cost of their choices?"

Sydney tapped a finger against her book, considering. "Sounds like real life."

Kara scoffed, but her expression softened as she leaned back against the tree, gazing at the sky through the shifting leaves. A rare moment of quiet settled between them, the golden light stretching long across the grass.

She glanced at Alan—her twin, the constant in her life, forever lost in one story or another. Then at Sydney, steady and thoughtful, always knowing how to say just enough.

A slow, lopsided grin pulled at her lips. "You two are ridiculous."

Alan smirked. "Takes one to know one."

Sydney chuckled, shaking her head as she finally flipped open her book.

Heartfelt College | Midnight | Present Day | Day 70

The memory of warm sunlight and laughter shattered like glass.

Kara was yanked back to the present—harsh, cold, brutal. Rain slashed against her face, soaking through her clothes as the storm howled around them. Alan's unconscious body sagged between her and Ms. Martinez, dead weight dragging them down. His head lolled, rain mixing with the blood seeping from his side. The blade was still there. The sight of it made her stomach churn, but she couldn't afford to falter.

"Move, Kara!" Ms. Martinez barked over the storm, her usual composure cracked by urgency.

"I'm trying!" Kara snapped, her breath ragged. Her arms burned, legs trembling from exhaustion, but she tightened her grip on Alan. Letting go wasn't an option.

Ahead, Kyle moved like a shadow, shotgun gleaming wet in the dim light. He threw a glance over his shoulder, eyes sharp despite the downpour. "Union Building's close! Keep moving!"

Kara's gaze locked onto the faint outline of the building, its flickering lights barely piercing the storm. Hope surged for a second—then fizzled under the weight of her brother in her arms.

She turned her head, voice raw. "Alan, you don't get to give up. Not now. Not ever." Her throat tightened, but she forced the words out. "You hear me?"

Ms. Martinez adjusted her grip. "Keep talking to him," she said, breathless. "Don't let him drift."