6_ twin

"Killian."

We halted before a house, sizable yet devoid of any grand architecture. It was merely a wooden edifice. I surmised it to be their storage facility.

Nonetheless, this could be one of the many outlawed dwellings strewn across our territory.

They hauled me in. Serena was still cradled in my arms. They shoved me, and I nearly lost my grip on Serena.

"Damn it," I bellowed, shooting a piercing glare at the man who had shoved me. Yet, they paid me no mind.

We came to a halt in the center of the living room, and I surveyed the surroundings. There was an upper floor; wooden stairs on the side of the house led to a large wolf-themed artwork.

To any visitor, this house would appear as a simple dwelling, something within anyone's reach…

Yet, considering its status as a rogue dwelling, I couldn't envision a peaceful existence here.

"Place the lady on the couch."

That's what one of the men commanded. I hesitated nonetheless.

"Are you hard of hearing? Unhand the girl," a gruff male voice echoed throughout the room. My eyes instinctively scanned the area from where the commanding voice originated, as it bore a strikingly familiar tone. Where had I heard that voice before?

"Kyzer, it seems we've snagged a big catch this time."

That was the elder, one of the abductors.

"I can tell, this is no ordinary man. You all may leave now and let me handle them."

That's what the man on the staircase declared. I watched him intently as he descended.

My gasp grew louder as I observed a man gradually making his way down from the upper level.

For a fleeting moment, it felt as if my entire world had come to a standstill. I needed to set Serena down if I didn't want to risk dropping her.

My legs wavered, gradually starting to shake. I gently placed Serena on the couch before turning my attention back to the man.

His golden eyes, nose, and mouth bore an uncanny resemblance to mine. He was a mirror image of me from head to toe. Despite being slightly leaner than me, it would be challenging for anyone to distinguish between us.

I cautiously removed my hood, causing the man, who was my doppelganger, to halt abruptly on the staircase. His eyes mirrored my own fear, although he, like me, chose to mask it.

"Who do you think you are?" the man demanded, causing me to grit my teeth in frustration.

"I apologize, but who are you?" I responded, taking a step back. I was horrified as I gazed at this individual, his resemblance to me leaving me utterly stunned. In this bewildering moment, countless questions raced through my mind, yet I struggled to articulate them.

"Are you Killian?" Finally, one of us broke the silence.

I swallow. Did he know me?

"Are you saying that you're my twin?" My eyes widened in disbelief, unsure of what he was asserting.

"What are you talking about? I don't have a twin, damn it!" I blurted out, feeling a surge of frustration.

"But if you don't believe it, how else would you explain our identical faces? Who else could possibly resemble you so closely?" he questioned.

As he spoke, the man appeared amused. The anxiety that had previously etched his face seemed to dissipate, replaced by a sense of calm.

I attempted to consider every possible explanation for what was happening. Perhaps it was witchcraft or some other supernatural occurrence. I wasn't ready to simply accept his words. He couldn't deceive me…

That was the narrative he wanted me to accept. However, the truth was evident in the quickening pace of his heartbeat.

The man continued his descent down the stairs.

"Alright, let me share this story with you, and then you can decide whether or not to believe it. But first, I must express my relief that you're still alive. For years, I believed I was the sole survivor of our family after our mother passed away a few years ago. She used to recount the story of our family to me."

I shook my head in disbelief.

"No, I have no interest in hearing it. You are not my brother, and your mother is not my mother. So, I have no interest in listening to your story.”

The man let out a sarcastic laugh.

"Why? Is it because you don't want to disrupt the fairy tale life you're currently living? Are you unwilling to entertain the possibility that the family you believed to be yours was actually deceiving you all along? That they used you as a pawn? Perhaps they're even laughing at you because of it."

Once again, I shook my head, refusing to believe his words.

Yet, deep down, everything he said made sense. Our striking resemblance couldn't be a mere coincidence. There had to be an explanation for it. It must be...

The man took a seat on the empty sofa.

"Is that your girlfriend?" he asked, admiringly. "She's beautiful."

Before he could lay a hand on her, I let out a scream and rushed forward to push him away.

"Don't you dare touch her!" I exclaimed, taking a deep breath to steady myself.

"Oh, so my twin is feeling a bit jealous, huh? By the way, my name is Kyzer. Our mother gave me my name, while our father gave you yours. I apologize for not mentioning you earlier. But don't worry, from now on, you can ask me anything about our family," he explained.

He stood up, preparing to leave.

"I could dismiss you now, knowing that you'll come back for more information. You can go on with your life, Killian. I hope to see you again soon. Please come back. I miss you, brother," he said with a hint of longing.

Was I hearing him correctly? Did he actually suggest that he would let us go? Tsk. Did he think I would return after all that? How foolish of him.

"Stop assuming, Killian. I'm not joking," I retorted. "By the way, our parents' names were Zoe and Kevin. You can look them up in the palace's book of records. And perhaps what you read in the Book of Records wasn't entirely true. If

you're ready to know the truth, you know where to find me. It's good to see you, brother.”