Caitlyn’s feet sank into the soft earth of the glade, the energy in the air thick with the lingering remnants of her last encounter with her mirror-self. She could still feel the pull of her other half, the part of her that had been born from the darkness, from the sacrifice, the part of her that had lived in the void between life and death. It was waiting for her, and Caitlyn couldn’t run from it anymore.

She turned to Raymond, standing just outside the glade, his expression torn—between wanting to protect her, wanting to stay with her, and wanting to give her the space she needed. His eyes were...