Kara waited in the dark of the secret room until light bloomed in Isi’s hands, revealing a small, sparse room: two chairs, an old dresser, a faded rug. Isi flipped on a dim lamp in the corner. Shadows clung to the edges, giving the room a quiet, eerie feel. The walls had a strange coating. Some kind of insulation, maybe?

  Isi let out a soft breath. “This room is soundproof. I don’t know what it was originally for, but I’m pretty sure I’m the only one who knows it’s here.”

  “How did you find it?” Kara asked, tugging off the luminance cloak. The crystals weren’t exactly comfortable.

  “I lived here growing up, and I got bored a lot,” Isi said with a shrug. “That sculpture room you came through? My mother’s art studio.”

  Kara blinked. What was she supposed to say to that?

  Isi pulled one chair around and sat backward, arms resting on the backrest. “This isn’t the only hidden room. Whoever designed this place had fun.”

  Kara hesitated, then dragged the other chair a few feet away and sat. For a moment, they sat in awkward silence.

  “Ask away,” Isi said, throwing her hands out dramatically.

  It reminded Kara of Lev, which hurt a little. She bit her lip. “So if you don’t work for Siera… who do you work for?”

  Isi didn’t answer immediately. She leaned forward, resting her chin on her arms in a way that seemed almost melancholy. Then she took a shuddering breath and said, “Myself. But for a long time, I worked with my uncle, Trevor Rafinin.”

  Isi’s arms tightened on the chair back. “We were the bridge between two different worlds. Trevor was part of the Novar. It’s a secret group within Novem, but he didn’t entirely trust Novem as an organization. The Rafinins have been keeping tabs on things for a long, long time. Since we got to Aralin.”

  “So, if he represented Novem, what did you represent?” Kara asked.

  Isi laughed, but there was no joy in it, just dry irony. “The Clans. More specifically, Solterra. If you think Novem’s bad about hiding things, what do you think the da Silvas do with the resources they control?”

  Kara let out a slow breath. “If people like Siera are in charge… how much are they hiding?”

  Isi snorted. “They don’t even record everything. Novem has secrets, yeah, but they still pretend to be a research agency. Solterra’s a business. If something doesn’t generate profit or power? It vanishes.”

  “Vanishes like…”

  Isi smirked. “You’re catching up. Not like what you are digging into. We hide it. The da Silvas are built on intelligence. Pattern analysis. Information control. We’re just as good at hiding as the Novar, maybe better.”

  Kara’s breath caught. “So… you believe someone is trying to keep us here on Aralin?”

  Isi nodded once. “Oh. Without a doubt.”

  “Who?” Kara asked.

  “Good question,” Isi said, her smile tight. “That’s what my uncle and I have spent the last decade trying to answer, right up until he disappeared too. Really, it all revolves around two things: getting off planet and people disappearing.”

  Kara nodded. That matched what she’d uncovered so far. Teorin and Siera were chasing the same puzzle. They just disagreed on who was behind it.

  “Siera thinks Novem is responsible for everything: the disappearances, the cover-ups,” Isi continued. “And yes, Novem is hiding things. But that secrecy is a shield. They’re not the source of the disappearances. They’re scared of whoever is.”

  Kara leaned forward. “Then what do you think is happening?”

  Isi sighed, her shoulders folding in. “Someone is making people disappear, but it’s not Novem as a whole. And it’s not one person. Not unless that person has lived for almost three centuries. This has been happening since the Atalanta landed. Whoever it is knows a lot about Novem, too much. They’re either inside it or have someone on the inside. That’s why Trevor never fully trusted them. Why we stayed independent. The Rafinins have always siloed their suspicions.”

  Isi hesitated, then added, “They could have someone inside the da Silvas too, but we’ve never found solid proof of that.” Her voice dipped dry. “The da Silvas are good at keeping secrets, even from their own members.”

  “So, your family just… investigates all this?”

  Isi gave a dry laugh. “More or less. We’ve had access to things most people don’t. And more reasons to look. You want a poster child for disappearances and suspicious deaths? That’s me. My parents died in a ‘freak accident’ when I was eight. And Trevor, he was Novem’s lead translator. Two months ago, he vanished. No trace.”

  That explained Isi’s reaction to Kara’s accusation about the missing translator.

  Isi traced a finger along the top of her chair. “My family tree is littered with accidents and vanishings: great-aunts, distant cousins. There are far fewer of us than there should be. We learned to stay quiet early, but even that doesn’t always save you.” Isi bit her lip. “Trevor knew things. Things he didn’t share because he wanted to protect me.”

  Kara held up a hand. “Wait. Dozens of cases? How has this stayed hidden? Everyone I’ve met lately has a story—someone missing, someone dead under strange circumstances.”

  Isi gave a wry smile. “And before the last few days?”

  Kara exhaled slowly. “I mean... no. I hadn’t really noticed.”

  “Exactly. It’s a pattern, but only if you know where to look. Otherwise, it’s just hindsight. And talking about it? That’s the fastest way to disappear, so most of us stay quiet. You’ve just crossed to the other side.”

  “But how do people miss something like that?” Kara pressed.

  Isi shrugged. “Because most of it looks normal. My parents died in a plane crash. People vanish on expeditions. There’s dangerous wildlife, unstable terrain. Accidents happen. Unless you’re tracking these cases, seeing the common threads, it all looks unfortunate, not unnatural.”

  “Still,” Kara said, “Novem is huge. Someone must have noticed.”

  “They have,” Isi said. “The Novar know. They just don’t share it freely. And over time, they’ve gotten very good at recognizing which questions are too dangerous to ask out loud.”

  Kara grimaced. That sounded a lot like what Teorin had said. It all lined up. The worst part was, it wasn’t just one side. Isi was a da Silva. She was working from different information and had reached the same conclusions.

  And that? That was terrifying.

  “So how are we supposed to unravel this without asking questions?” Kara said quietly.

  Isi’s mouth quirked to the side. “We find all the pieces. Quietly.”

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  “That easy, huh?”

  “With luck, yes.”

  Kara raised an eyebrow. “So, if you need all the pieces, how are you going to make things work without your uncle?”

  Isi’s grin broke slightly. She pushed back from her chair and began to pace. “I lost my inside connection to Novem when Trevor disappeared. My boyfriend has connections to Novem, but it’s complicated. Family stuff.”

  Isi whirled on her heel as she reached the far side of the small room. “Now I’m flying blind. Unfortunately, he still refuses to get his family involved. He can’t see that they are already involved. He’s so frustratingly stubborn.” Isi threw her hands up. “Now we are on damage control, and the fire just keeps growing.”

  Suddenly, Isi stopped and ran a hand down her braid. “Sorry, that’s not the point.” She sunk down to a cross-legged position on the rug, ignoring the chair entirely.

  Kara stared down at her for a few moments and then slid off her own chair and joined Isi on the floor.

  Isi looked up at the ceiling like she was counting and took a long breath. “The point is I’m one of the few people that can see the entire board, and you’re right, I just lost my connection to Novem. Not only that, my sources in the da Silvas are getting harder to leverage because Siera has… issues with me.”

  Kara raised an eyebrow. “Issues?”

  Isi grimaced. “What do you know about my family?”

  Kara ticked off a mental list. “Powerful. Rich. A little terrifying. They control the da Silva holdings. So Solterra, and everything under that umbrella.”

  Isi nodded. “Accurate enough. Each Clan is its own political machine, controlled by a council. Some council seats are inherited, others earned. It’s supposed to balance tradition with innovation.”

  “Does that work?”

  “Not as well as it should.” Isi gave a soft laugh and leaned back. “In the da Silva family, a council seat also means a seat on Solterra’s board. That covers research priorities, security contracts, archaeological claims—everything I need access to. But to answer your question…”

  Isi looked up at the ceiling. “You can think of council members, especially the ones with inherited seats, as old-world royalty. And I’m technically an heir.” Her voice turned bitter. “And they’re still obsessed with bloodlines.”

  Kara’s brow furrowed. “Bloodlines?”

  Isi’s voice flattened. “Every clan has a luminance specialty. Ours is invisibility, light distortion. If you’re not a Luminar, you’re not really da Silva. Not where it counts.”

  Kara’s blood ran cold. That article had been about Isi dating a Pulser. Inheritance was murky with Pulser fathers. Sometimes a twenty percent chance, sometimes fifty. Still enough to ruin a bloodline.

  “I saw an article about you and a Pulser,” Kara said softly. It had been five years old though. “Are you still…?”

  Isi gave a bitter smile. “Looked me up, did you?” She put her hands on her knees, leaning back. “We’re still together, which means I’m being... disciplined. Quietly. Strategically.” She let out a breath. “They like to pretend they're fair. I haven’t been disinherited—yet. But if I marry him? They’ll find an excuse.”

  Isi glanced at the floor, then back at Kara. “Until then, they do what they’ve always done. Apply pressure. See if I’ll crack. See if I’ll let him go.” Isi grimaced. “Siera likes to dole out little punishments. She’ll probably ship me off for the stunt I pulled with you earlier and keep him here under her control.”

  Kara hesitated. “That’s…” Her voice faltered. “That’s awful.” She sat back, struggling to put her reaction into words. “You really love him, huh?”

  Isi didn’t flinch, just gave a sharp, quiet nod. Then she straightened, her voice hardening. “That’s why I need a seat on the da Silva council. Because if I don’t have power, I have no leverage. I can’t protect him. I can’t change how things are done. I can’t push back against Siera or anyone else who decides he’s a liability just for existing.”

  She looked Kara dead in the eyes. “And it’s not just about him. With Trevor gone, there’s no one left who understands how deep this mystery runs, how far the da Silvas have buried things. If I’m not in the room when the decisions are made? That knowledge dies in the dark. And the people doing the disappearing? They win.”

  Kara let out a long breath. “And how does one even get a seat?”

  Isi’s mouth curved, not quite a smile. “You earn it. Technically. You prove you’re too valuable to ignore. Then the current council members vote. But let’s be honest, if you’re not bloodline elite, it takes more than competence. It takes leverage. Secrets. Maybe a miracle.”

  Then, Isi said more quietly, “And if all else fails... you make them regret not giving you a seat before you had to take it.”

  Kara smoothed out a wrinkle in her pants. “That sounds… complicated.”

  “Oh, it is, but in the end, it’s worth it. Because whoever killed my parents is still out there,” Isi said, voice low but steady. “And if I don’t fight for a seat, if I don’t put myself in the room, they’ll bury the truth right alongside them.”

  Silence prickled between them. Kara didn’t trust Isi, but she believed her. And somehow, that felt even more dangerous. Still, as genuine as she seemed, Isi obviously wanted something. Probably information from the pages.

  “Why were you following me tonight?” Kara said finally.

  Isi hesitated. “I know it makes me an awful person, but I need—”

  A knock sounded at the door. Isi and Kara both froze. Then there was another knock this time in rhythm. Dud-ta-ta-ta-duh.

  Isi relaxed. She let out a low chuckle and said, “He’s late,” before jumping to her feet and almost skipping to the door.

  Kara stood too, every muscle tense. Isi pulled a hidden lever. The door slid open.

  A man slipped in, his face half-obscured by shadows. Isi threw her arms around him, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Isi was fairly tall for a woman, but he still towered over her—easily several inches over six feet.

  “Did anyone see you?” Isi asked.

  He shook his head. “Came through the window, just like you said. Worked my way over.”

  “Good,” Isi murmured, releasing him, only to grab his hand and tug him into the light.

  Kara’s breath caught.

  An exploding door. Books burning. The blue wing jacket. The dark hair.

  And those eyes, vivid green and unmistakable. Almost identical to Teorin’s. Not just the eyes. His jawline. The lean, athletic build. All like Teorin’s.

  His hair was darker, almost black compared to Teorin’s chocolate brown, and he was much taller. But the resemblance was undeniable.

  And when she’d been stunned, disoriented...

  Not Teorin. Not a hallucination.

  Him. Teorin’s brother. Marcus.

  He and Teorin looked close enough that, in her muddled state, it was no wonder her mind had blurred the line.

  This… this was the boyfriend? The one Isi was willing to risk everything for? Kara’s mind swam.

  And the family Isi said she wanted to ask for help. Teorin. It was Teorin.

  What was happening?

  Marcus said nothing. He just watched her. His expression was unreadable, but the hand not holding Isi’s kept tugging at the zipper on his jacket.

  Teorin had done that too. Marcus was nervous.

  Kara planted her hands on her hips and eyed him up and down. “You’re Teorin’s brother.”

  Marcus froze. His jaw tensed. Then, slowly, he exhaled and gave a stiff nod. “That obvious, huh?”

  “I never forget a face,” Kara said, voice quieter than she intended. “Or features in this case.”

  Marcus huffed out something like a laugh, but there was no humor in it. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Right. Memoran.”

  Kara crossed her arms, pressing her nails into her palms to stop them from shaking. She wouldn’t let them see the nerves crawling under her skin. “You helped kidnap me,” she said. “And you burned down my building.”

  “I told you this was a bad idea,” Marcus muttered to Isi.

  Isi rolled her eyes at him. “No, it’s not. Besides, I seem to recall you being at a loss for any better plan.”

  Marcus sort of sighed and wrapped his arms around Isi’s waist, almost like he wanted something between himself and Kara. He still hadn’t responded to her accusation.

  Isi nudged him again. “Marcus.”

  Marcus’ arms tightened briefly around Isi, as if bracing himself. Then, after a moment, he exhaled and let go, his shoulders sagging. “I didn’t start the fire. I tried to stop Sasha, the person who did, but I failed. I am sorry about that.”

  “Why were you even working with her?” Kara asked icily.

  He drew in another breath. “Because if I hadn’t, either Teorin or I would be dead.”

  That made Kara pause for a second. Teorin?

  She shook herself. That didn’t change what Marcus had done. It didn’t erase the fire, the smoke, the wreckage of her life. She forced herself to focus. “That’s all you have to say? And what about the kidnapping?”

  Marcus blushed and looked away.

  Kara blinked. Embarrassed? Why? That was more surprising than the apology. More human.

  “It’s a long story,” Marcus finally said.

  “I don’t really care how long the story is. Talk. If you don’t, I have no qualms about going to Siera with information on your little arrangement here.”

  Marcus winced but nodded, which was probably a better confirmation than anything else so far that this wasn’t a trick, and they really were keeping things from Siera.

  Marcus released Isi and sat in the chair Kara had been sitting in. Kara flipped Isi’s chair to face forward and sat across from him.

  Isi glanced at the door. “I should make sure no one saw you,” Isi murmured.

  “No,” Kara said firmly.

  Isi raised an eyebrow in question.

  Kara shook her head. “You are not leaving me alone with the man whose own brother claims is a thief, a cheat, and a liar.”

  Marcus winced again.

  Isi just sighed. “But you’ll be alone with me?”

  Isi had kidnapped her, but she’d also saved Kara from a serious fall earlier, and against her better instincts, Kara almost liked her. “I marginally trust you. I don’t trust him at all.”

  “I trust him,” Isi offered.

  “Not going to cut it,” Kara said.

  Marcus actually chuckled. It made Kara like him slightly more. He glanced at Isi. “Stay, please? No one saw me. Promise. And I’ll talk fast.”

  Isi grimaced. “You’d better.” She settled down in a cross-legged position and leaned back so her head rested against the side of Marcus’ leg. Her focus remained on the door, though.

  Marcus leaned back in his chair as if deciding where to start.

  Kara folded her arms and waited.

  Marcus exhaled and ran a hand through his hair. “You want the truth? Fine. But you might not like what you hear.”

  [Lev] Here is my rent. This one is a slow burn with actual magic. (Instead of the pretend kind I imagine I have.)

  ?─????????─?

  Life isn’t some kind of grand destiny.

  It’s just a collection of decisions shaped by the moments that happen around us.

  Of Moon and Magic follows a silver-haired girl. Her mana was weak, but that never dulled her hunger for magic.

  We follow her steps. We weigh her choices. We sit with her loneliness. In a world where magic is everything, war is constant, and morality is little more than a neglected guideline.

  Will she become just another cog in the machine?

  Or will she be the one to end it all?

  Only one way to find out.

  Point of Interest:

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  ?─????????─?