The morning light slipped through the curtains in pale ribbons, softening the edges of the room. Sheets clung damply to their skin, the scent of steam and sweat still hanging in the air.

  Noa woke first. Her arm was wrapped tightly around Savina—no, Liora now—her cheek pressed to damp hair that smelled faintly of soap and heat. The rise and fall of Liora’s chest was steady, untroubled. For once, the storm slept peacefully.

  Noa stared at the ceiling, heart tightening. She felt different too. She told herself it wasn’t love—it couldn’t be. You don’t know her. This was about softening her, preparing her, easing her path toward Thorn. That conversation still loomed, and she dreaded it. Necessary, yes. But dreaded.

  Liora stirred, shes fluttering as she blinked into the light. She tilted her head up, meeting Noa’s gaze with a sleepy smile.

  “Good morning,” she whispered, then added deliberately, “Liora.”

  The name nded like a blessing. Liora smiled wider. “I like how that sounds.”

  “So do I,” Noa murmured, kissing her gently on the lips.

  “Thank you,” Liora said after a pause.

  Noa tilted her head, brows knitting. “What for?”

  “For showing me who I really am.”

  Liora hesitated, her gaze drifting away as if the rest of the thought resisted being spoken.

  “And…” she added quietly.

  Noa waited.

  “I wasn’t a virgin,” Liora said. Not defensive. Just factual. “I’ve been with people. I knew what to do. What to say. How to make it work.”

  Noa didn’t interrupt.

  “But st night,” Liora continued, her voice lowering, “was the first time I didn’t feel like I was… performing.”

  She exhaled, a short, incredulous breath.

  “I didn’t know my body could do that. I thought climax was just… something you allowed to happen so the other person felt successful.”

  She finally looked at Noa, eyes unguarded.

  “I didn’t know it could take you apart.”

  Noa’s hand slid into her hair, thumb brushing her temple.

  “You would have found it eventually,” Noa said softly.

  “Maybe.” Liora stared at the ceiling. “So… now what?”

  “What do you mean?”

  Liora rolled onto her back. “What are we?”

  Noa inhaled slowly. “Well… that depends.”

  “On?”

  Noa swallowed. “On what you want to be.”

  Liora didn’t hesitate. “I want to be in.”

  A flicker of surprise crossed Noa’s face. “Ooooh… that. Well. Umm…”

  Liora sat up sharply, the sheet slipping down her chest. “What?”

  Noa hesitated. “About that…”

  “Just spill it,” Liora snapped.

  Noa looked down, twisting the sheet between her fingers. “Well…”

  “Let me guess,” Liora cut in, her ugh bitter. “I have to fuck him, don’t I?”

  Noa winced. “There’s more to it than that.”

  “Oh, what then?” Liora threw her hands up. “Do I have to bow and scrape, get on my knees, suck his dick, and then fuck him?”

  Noa’s answer was quiet, but steady. “Well… yes.”

  Liora scoffed. “What the fuck?”

  “The problem is…” Noa hesitated, searching for words.

  “What?” Liora demanded.

  “You’ll…” Noa paused, then forced it out. “Want to.”

  Liora blinked, stunned, then barked out a ugh. “Wait—I’ll want to? What does he do, drug you?”

  Noa shook her head. “Liora… you don’t understand. Once you enter The Room, all reality dissolves.”

  Liora frowned. “Wait.”

  Noa stopped.

  “The Room?” Liora asked. “What is that?”

  Noa didn’t answer immediately. She looked down at the sheet, smoothing a wrinkle that didn’t need smoothing.

  “It’s… not a pce the way you’re thinking,” she said carefully.

  “You literally just called it 'a room'.”

  “I know,” Noa said, almost apologetic. “But the walls aren’t what matter.”

  “Then what does?”

  Noa searched for words and clearly didn’t like any of them.

  “It’s… focused,” she said finally. “Everything else stops existing in there. Not because you’re forced. Because you stop holding onto it.”

  Liora’s eyes narrowed. “So hypnosis.”

  “No.” Noa shook her head immediately. “You’re aware of everything. More aware than you’ve ever been.”

  “That doesn’t sound better.”

  Noa let out a small, humorless breath. “It isn’t frightening while it’s happening. That’s the part that scares you afterward.”

  Liora studied her. “What happens in it?”

  Noa hesitated—a long one.

  “You’re seen,” she said at st. “Completely. Not your strength. Not your armor. The part you protect.”

  “And Thorn?” Liora asked. “What does he do?”

  Noa swallowed. “Less than you think. And more than you’ll be ready for.”

  Liora leaned back, absorbing that. “So st night was what, then? Prep? You were supposed to soften me up for him?”

  “No,” Noa said quickly. “No. This was different.” She swallowed hard. “You are different.”

  Liora studied her, torn between anger and disbelief. “I just can’t believe this. I mean—yeah, he’s hot. Probably has a great dick.”

  That broke Noa’s composure; she let out a surprised snort. “Uh… yeah.”

  Liora smacked her shoulder. “Stop.”

  They both ughed for a beat, but it faded quickly.

  Liora’s eyes narrowed again. “But does he honestly think he can mind-warp me like that? Especially now that I know?”

  Noa’s face softened. “I was terrified too. When it was my turn. My situation was different—I stood to lose everything. And yes, in some ways he was the cause of that.” She exhaled. “But what happens in The Room… it’s not something you can fight. Not the way you’re imagining.”

  Liora’s chest rose and fell. “Do you have any idea when?”

  “No,” Noa admitted. “You’ll be summoned. When it happens, I’ll take you there… and wait.”

  “Wait? For what?”

  Noa looked away. “Your rebirth.”

  Liora sat forward, fire returning. “I will not comply in that way. I’ll fuck his brains out—but my mind? My mind will remain mine.”

  Noa met her gaze, quiet, almost mournful.

  “That’s what I said too.”

  The silence that followed was heavy as stone.