Elara’s heart skipped a beat.
She stared at her reflection.
It was still smiling.
But she wasn’t.
Noah walked beside her.
“What are you looking at?”
Elara didn’t answer.
The reflection slowly shook its head.
Then mouthed three words.
Don’t believe her.
A ripple spread across the lake.
The reflection returned to normal.
Now it copied every movement she made.
As if nothing had happened.
“What happened?”
Noah asked again.
“I…”
Elara hesitated.
“My reflection spoke to me.”
Noah looked at the lake.
“I think that’s officially the weirdest thing that’s happened today.”
Rose sighed.
“And that’s saying something.”
The Keeper walked to the edge of the water.
“The Mirror Lake doesn’t lie.”
“It only shows possibilities.”
Adrian frowned.
“Not always.”
The Keeper looked at him.
“You’ve been here before.”
Adrian nodded once.
“Years ago.”
“And?”
“It showed me something I refused to believe.”
His expression darkened.
“I’ve regretted it ever since.”
Elara looked across the lake.
The water was perfectly still.
It didn’t look dangerous.
It looked peaceful.
Too peaceful.
“So…”
“Where’s the second key?”
The soldier who had brought them here pointed toward the center of the lake.
“There.”
Everyone looked.
There was nothing.
“I don’t see anything.”
“You won’t.”
“Not until the lake accepts you.”
The silver key floated out of Elara’s pocket.
It hovered above the water.
A single golden ripple spread across the surface.
Then another.
And another.
Suddenly…
It stretched across the lake.
Straight to the center.
No railings.
No support.
Just clear crystal floating above the water.
Noah looked down.
“I miss normal roads.”
The Keeper turned to Elara.
“You must cross alone.”
Noah immediately shook his head.
“No.”
“I’m going with her.”
“You can’t.”
“Why not?”
“The bridge only allows one person.”
Noah looked at Elara.
“I don’t like this.”
“I know.”
She smiled.
“I’ll be okay.”
“You said that before we met the Forgotten King.”
“…Fair point.”
Despite everything…
They both laughed.
Only for a second.
But it was enough.
Elara took her first step.
The bridge glowed beneath her feet.
The second step.
Nothing happened.
The third.
Still nothing.
Halfway across…
The wind disappeared.
The world became silent.
When Elara looked back…
Everyone was gone.
The bridge behind her had vanished.
Only the lake remained.
Endless.
Still.
“You’re finally here.”
A familiar voice echoed behind her.
Elara turned around.
A woman stood in the middle of the bridge.
She wore a long green cloak.
Her silver hair moved gently in the breeze.
Around her neck hung a leaf-shaped pendant.
The same one Iris had shown her.
The woman smiled.
“I’ve waited a long time.”
“Who are you?”
Instead, she looked at the Heart Crystal hanging around Elara’s neck.
“It still shines.”
“You know about this?”
“I created it.”
Elara froze.
“What?”
The woman nodded.
“Long before Elias became the Keeper.”
“You know Elias?”
The woman smiled sadly.
“I gave him that name.”
Elara felt her heart race.
“You’re…”
“The first Keeper.”
The woman nodded.
“My name is Lyra.”
The name sounded strangely familiar.
As if Elara had heard it before.
Maybe in a dream.
Maybe in a memory.
“I thought you disappeared.”
“I did.”
“I’ve been trapped inside the Mirror Lake ever since.”
“Why?”
“Because someone betrayed me.”
The woman’s eyes filled with sadness.
“I trusted the wrong person.”
“Who?”
Lyra looked directly into Elara’s eyes.
“The Forgotten King.”
Silence.
“He wasn’t always called that.”
“He wasn’t always your enemy.”
Before Elara could ask another question…
The water beneath the bridge began to ripple violently.
Lyra’s expression changed.
“He’s found us.”
Darkness spread beneath the crystal bridge.
A shadow slowly rose from the lake.
It wasn’t a reflection.
It was real.
A hand reached out of the water.
Then another.
Then a face.
It was the Forgotten King.
But not the man Elara had met before.
This version looked younger.
Kinder.
He smiled at Lyra.
The kind of smile that carried years of memories.
Then he looked at Elara.
And quietly said—
“Ask her how the first Keeper really died.”
Lyra’s face turned completely pale.
For the first time…
She looked afraid.