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- LAUVIAH - The Angel of Revelation.

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Mom slowly turns toward me, her face marked by anger. My heart races wildly, as though I'm trapped in a horror movie.
I wonder what I'll say to defend myself. I can't tell her about what happened with the snake. And if, as I suspect, it's connected to the other world?

What to say?

I glance at my brothers, hoping they'll intervene, but they seem as frozen as I am. In joining her, every step feels like a trial, each one sending an electric shock through me. Like I'm grabbing a live wire with wet hands, letting go and grabbing it again, all the way to her.

- Yes, Mom?

She turns and fixes me with a gaze so intense that I shiver. I feel the tension in the air, and every second seems to last an eternity. When she finally speaks, my breath catches.

- Marie, what is this?

- Mom, it's not...

- Why haven't you cleaned the stairs like I asked you to? What have you been doing all this time? she snaps, cutting me off.

Huh?

I realize then that my fear was completely unfounded. The stairs are spotless—nothing seems out of the ordinary. I sigh in relief, and little by little, my heart finds its usual rhythm.

- Marie! Answer me when I'm talking to you.

I snap out of my thoughts, then reply:

- Yes, sorry, I'll do it right away, Mom.

I grab the broom and start cleaning.

- Anyway, you know Marie's useless, he scoffs behind me.

- You're right, Jonn. I'm disgusted that she's my sister, he continues.

I can't believe my ears. What I just heard is simply unreal. My brothers are talking about me with such ease, as if they don't understand the impact of their words. Since when have they allowed themselves to judge me like this?

I think back to the snake that bit me, to the searing pain that tore through me. What if the snake was venomous and the venom altered my mind, making me imagine things that don't exist?

I keep cleaning, sweeping grains of sand that slowly slide down the stairs one by one. Each sweep of the broom feels like an attempt not only to clean the floor but also to clear my troubled thoughts.

The sunbeams filter through the window, illuminating the dust in the air, and I lose myself in this sight, hoping that the hurtful words of my brothers will fade as easily as those grains of sand.

- She's deaf too, apparently, he continues, while Jonn reacts to the rude comment, laughing without restraint.

I turn to glance at them, to check if it's really my brothers speaking this way or just some auditory hallucination.
When my eyes finally settle on them, I find them smiling at me, and a wave of relief washes over me. Their smiles finally reassure me, dispelling the doubts swirling in my mind.

It's all in my head.

In this soft light, I realize that perhaps all of this is just a misunderstanding, an illusion caused by my own fears and the echo of my thoughts.

- Ugh, I'm so sick of her, scoffs Enry.

- You're right. It's a good thing she doesn't have a father—he'd be ashamed to have a daughter like her.

It's my mother's voice.

That horrible comment immediately clicks something in me. Never, oh never, would my mother dare say such a thing. This thought brings me back to reality—or rather, to the illusion surrounding me—making me realize that I'm in the middle of a dream.

My dreams are becoming more and more real, so much so that I can no longer distinguish what is real from what is not.

I'm so happy to see them again, and it feels so real that I've forgotten I'm in one of these dreams.

The line between reality and illusion slowly fades, leaving me in a state of confusion where every word, every smile can hide a much darker truth. I feel trapped in a world where anything is possible, where even the cruelest words can arise at any moment, leading me to wonder if I can truly trust what I perceive.

- We can finally stop the charade now, she's exactly where the Master wanted her to be, says Enry.

What?

My mind clouds with confusion. I know full well that all of this is just a creation of my imagination, but it still affects me, squeezing my heart. The emotions I feel, though fictional, leave a bitter aftertaste.

- As long as the Master hasn't spoken, don't open your big mouths, you idiots, she says, acting differently too, just like the twins.

- Anyway, I'm tired of being nice all the time. Hey, Angel, listen to me!

My eyes widen.

- How do you know I'm an angel? I asked, lost and shocked by what's happening.

It's just a dream... it's just a dream, I repeated to myself in my mind.

- No, it's not just a dream, little angel, said Enry, stepping closer to me, climbing a few stairs and stopping in front of me. And I also want to tell you that we are not your family—you don't have one, in fact.

They snickered.

- Can you read my mind?

Despite trying to push their words into the back of my mind, what they're telling me is breaking my heart, little by little. My sixth sense is screaming that this is real, that this is no mere dream.

I want to wake up—right now.

- Don't worry, you'll wake up soon.

Suddenly, two large black wings appear on his back. They're the same as the ones from the academy: black, dark, and almost completely featherless, leaving the wing's skeletal structure more visible.

My wrist burns.

- Are you black angels too?

- Haha, he laughed. No, try again.

At those words, my mother and Jonn unfold their wings as well, all while smiling at me with an intensity that sends a chill down my spine. The image I had of them—a happy, united family—vanishes forever, replaced by a troubling reality. The wings they wear hold a deep secret, a truth I had never suspected.

- Still don't get it? he said, impatient to give me the answer.

He leaned closer to me, stopping just near my ear, before continuing:

- We are far from being angels.

It's just a dream... It's not a dream?

- Little pure angel, if you can hear me, don't forget that you can escape from this. Remember what I taught you earlier.

Aéphyra.

I hear her voice in my mind.

- Aéphyra, help me, I pleaded, hoping she could hear me while keeping my eyes locked on Enry, not even blinking once.

- Aéphyra? he repeated. Could it be Queen Selphie?

- I thought we killed her decades ago, shouted Jonn.

- If this one's connected to her, all we need to do is kill her, and the other will fall too.

His voice, as he spoke, began to change, growing increasingly excited at the prospect of murder. They all stare at me now, their eyes filled with a psychopathic gleam, and I know something bad is about to happen.

Oh, crap.

My survival instincts kick in. I throw whatever I have in my hand at Enry and take off running, heading straight for my room as fast as I can.

Once inside, I barely manage to lock myself in the bathroom, pushing against the door with all my strength as they try to break in. My heart pounds so loudly it echoes in my ears. I know I need to stay calm, but fear is overwhelming me. I fight to keep the door closed, praying this nightmare is just that—a nightmare I'll wake up from.

- Come meet me where we first crossed paths. I can protect you; it's the only way to keep them from following you into your journey.

- You told me that by doing this, the people with me would still follow.

- Open the door! he demands.

I ignore him and keep holding the door shut.

- Not in my forest. I decide who can and cannot enter there.

I've never experienced such a rush of adrenaline. A wave of conflicting emotions sweeps over me—fear, like a looming shadow, mixes with profound sadness, while a visceral disgust seeps into every fiber of my being.

- Little angel, you'd better oooopen the door before we get maaaad, he says, drawing out each word.

Tears gather at the corners of my eyes before I even notice.

I try to breathe more calmly, seeking to quiet the turmoil inside me. Focusing on Aéphyra's instructions, I force myself to find the clarity I need to move forward. I close my eyes, letting my mind wander back to the forest where we first met. The majestic trees, their leaves dancing with the wind, and the sweet honey scent of clovers with their deceptively bitter taste.

The door stops shaking, and the shouting ceases.

I feel the wind—a soft breeze caresses my face, carrying with it a faint smell of honey. Behind me, a different texture, rough and uneven, replaces the door I had been leaning against with all my strength to keep out my pursuers. My eyes are still closed; I don't dare open them yet, focusing instead on the frantic rhythm of my heart pounding in my chest.

With each slow breath I take, I hear my heartbeat slowing down, gradually finding a sense of calm amid the chaos.

I decide to open my eyes despite the lingering fear within me, praying that I've truly changed locations. When I see her standing before me, a mix of relief and apprehension washes over me. Her presence feels like a warm embrace, dispelling the anguish that had consumed me entirely.

- Little pure angel.

The tension eases as soon as she utters those words, her delicate touch brushing against my cheek, where a single tear finally escapes. Her tender smile comforts me, and within her, I feel a maternal connection that takes me back to my own mother and everything I've just learned from her lips.

I'm lost, overwhelmed by conflicting emotions, unable to discern what's real and what isn't. Thoughts whirl in my mind, and suddenly, silent tears transform into an uncontrollable stream of sorrow.

At that moment, she pulls me into her arms, comforting me gently. Her soft caresses on my back are soothing.

- Let go, I'm here now.

I finally allow every tear to flow freely, releasing a weight I've been carrying for far too long. In this moment of vulnerability, I realize how deeply I need support.

- Gently, little pure angel, don't worry. I'm here with you now, whether in reality or in your dreams.

Her words calm me, giving me a brief respite.

- I have a question. Is it true what they said? They're not my real family?

- I don't know. Your existence is a mystery, little pure angel. But don't think about that for now.

- Is it possible to make me forget all of this?

- That's not within my power. I'm sorry.

I pull away from her embrace, still a little emotional, and suddenly remember the golden key I found. I hold it out to her, eager to see her reaction, but at that moment, her expression changes completely. I see fear in her eyes.

- What's wrong? Why are you staring at this key like that?

- Where did you find it?

- In my house.

She doesn't look away for even a second before announcing:

- That key... It unlocks a lock that must remain sealed forever. It's been lost for centuries, after it was stolen from the angel Raziel, the keeper of secrets.

- What does it unlock?

- I can't tell you more. It must be your destiny to have found it. Hide it well and trust no one.

The boundary between reality and dream begins to feel increasingly thin to me, almost as fragile as a soap bubble.

Could this be the key I was meant to find, the one to open the black bedside table in one of my previous dreams?

I start feeling dizzy, and everything around me grows blurry. It feels like I'm waking up.

- Aéphyra.

- I'm here. I'll see you on the other side, little pure angel.