Most people expect their private rooms to remain empty while they are out. And, believe it or not, I am one of those people. So, one could imagine my shock when I lumbered to my dormitory with new purchases in tow and found the door wide open. And, adding to that surprise, I found Cinthara lounging on my bed as if she belonged there.

  She casually rested on top of my covers, mindlessly twirling a long lock of platinum blond hair with a finger. Cinthara’s violet eyes didn’t move a centimeter in my direction as she continued to stare blankly at the ceiling and hum an unfamiliar tune in her high-pitched yet soothing voice.

  My very first thought, of course, was how scandalous it might look to random passersby to see a girl in my room, let alone in my bed. My body jumped into action before my thoughts could go any further. With a panicked gasp, I scurried inside and slammed the door shut behind me.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” I whispered through gritted teeth, dropping my heavy sack beside the desk.

  I planted fists on my hips and glared Cinthara down. She didn’t budge at all.

  “I thought we could have our little chat now,” she said through a yawn.

  I waved around myself. “Here of all places? Couldn’t we have met somewhere less… inconspicuous?”

  Cinthara’s eyes flicked to my face, and she scowled. “I tried that, remember?”

  She threw herself up into a sitting position and stretched her arms above her head as if she’d just woken up from a long nap.

  How long has she been here, just waiting for me to arrive?

  Cinthara crinkled up her nose. “You know, it smells in here. Like a sweaty boy.”

  I sighed and plopped myself down on the chair next to the desk. “Can we just get started on what you wanted to meet with me about?”

  Cinthara rolled her large eyes. “Fine.” She tucked her legs underneath her, getting more comfortable. “But first, I’m hungry. Do you have any food?”

  It was my turn to roll my eyes. “So, I’m to believe you haven’t searched my entire room and eaten whatever you could find yet?”

  “That would be extremely rude of me.”

  “And this isn’t?” I gestured to where she was sitting and to the fact that she’d broken into my room in the first place.

  Cinthara folded her arms and cocked her head to the side in response. Sighing, I relented and procured a strip of jerky from my satchel. I chucked it at her, but she caught it effortlessly with a nonchalant flip of her hair.

  Cinthara tore a piece off with her teeth and chomped on the stringy meat loudly, then said with her mouth still full, “We might as well get to it. You figured out I’m a Lady Euridice clone, as you obviously know.”

  I shifted forward on my seat and leaned in. “Yes, of course. It was fairly evident to me.”

  Cinthara waved a dismissive hand. “Whatever. But I also know you’re a Solomon clone.”

  I noticed that she, like Nic, didn’t refer to Solomon with his “Lord” title, but she called Euridice “Lady Euridice.” I understood why Cinthara might respect Euridice over Lord Solomon, but why did Nic do the same thing?

  And did Cinthara know I was a clone because she knew what Lord Solomon had looked like? Or had someone else informed her? Like maybe Euridice herself.

  I leaned back this time and crossed my arms tightly over my chest. “So, we’re both clones. Respective clones of rivals, no less. Are you here to tell me that your purpose is to eventually kill me for your clone mom? It’d make her proud, I’m sure.”

  Cinthara furrowed her light brows. “I don’t know what Lady Euridice would want with you, Rayden. I doubt she even cares. But I need you.”

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  I smiled coyly and rested my hands behind my head. “Oh?”

  “Oh, shut up. It’s not for any romantic reason, idiot.”

  My face warmed. “I wasn’t implying–”

  “You have something I need,” she interrupted.

  “What, by the gods, would I have that could be useful to you?”

  “Can you please just let me finish?” Cinthara’s face was red now. “You know those rifts Gareth was talking about?”

  She paused.

  “Oh, you want me to talk now? Yes, I think I remember that conversation.”

  Cinthara shook her head, unappreciative of my sarcasm. “Rifts aren’t the only things that are appearing on the surface. The scouts have found… caverns–locked caverns. As far as I know, no one has discovered how to open one, but I’ve gotten close. I’ll occasionally sneak up to the surface to try to open these caverns by myself.”

  She shifted her body forward and stared deeply into my eyes. I shifted in my seat uncomfortably.

  “I’ve discovered that the caverns were built by the original Solomon. They will open for any of his clones that have something called a ‘Codex.’ I don’t know what that means, but I figured you might”

  I swallowed. “Uh, how did you discover all of this? Did another Lord Solomon clone tell you about it?”

  Did she know Nic was another clone? Had they talked about this? Or maybe another Lord Solomon clone was walking around on this planet. That would be great–yet another person who looked exactly like me to potentially draw suspicion to my presence here.

  Cinthara narrowed her eyes. “I don’t know of any other Solomon clones. I’m sure they exist, as other Lady Euridice clones must, but I figured this out by myself. I’ve learned some of the language found chiseled into the stone of the locked cavern.”

  “Well, that’s impressive.” I rubbed the back of my neck and shifted my eyes away from her fierce stare. Why was she always so intense?

  Cinthara shrugged and said, “There are so many books and files available to the students at the academy. Once I found a book that matched the symbols found at one of those caverns, I discovered it was Solomon’s ancient language and found other books on how to learn the language from there.”

  “Still, it must have taken you a long time.”

  Cinthara propped her arms behind herself and leaned back. “Eh, I get bored a lot. Besides, I only learned enough to translate what was carved into the locked cavern walls. Now, tell me, what’s a Codex?”

  “Well…”

  I drew my lips into a tight line and considered how I should explain Codex and the fact that I technically didn’t have him anymore. But why should I help her at all? What had Cinthara ever done for me that would allow me to trust her and to do her any favors?

  “Wait, how does any of this benefit me?” I said. “Why should I tell you anything or help you, for that matter?”

  Cinthara craned her neck back and sighed up at the ceiling. “In any other circumstance, there would be no reason for you to listen to me.”

  She returned her eyes to mine, and I caught sincerity in her gaze. “But we are about to join Elite Group #1. We have to start trusting each other to survive those rifts. We have to work together as a team. And second, I promise to share whatever the locked caverns hold with you.”

  She placed a hand over her heart as if sealing this promise of hers.

  I tapped my chin and remained silent for about 30 seconds, pleased to see her squirming impatiently as I made her wait for my response.

  “I could try to help you,” I finally said. “But it might not work.”

  Excited, Cinthara wiggled herself forward on the mattress to get closer to me. “Why wouldn’t it work?”

  “Well, my Codex, something I had implanted in my head while I was created, has been turned off.”

  “Turned off? What was it, exactly?”

  I still don’t trust you, I thought to myself.

  I didn’t want to tell Cinthara all my secrets. But then again, if Euridice knew enough about Lord Solomon’s plans to start making clones of her own, would Cinthara knowing I had an AI in my head really be that big of a deal? If she did report back to Euridice, how would the goddess use the information against me? Euridice very likely may already know about my make-up and what may or may not be in my head.

  “You see, I don’t have a Mark,” I said softly. “Of course, Euridice would never offer me one, considering who I came from, so I cultivate in a different way. I have an AI companion in my head called Codex, who taught me how to advance through the Tiers without a Mark. He can also scan new planets or even opponents and aid me in traveling and battle… among many other things.”

  Cinthara frowned. “But you said he turned off? How do you still cultivate without having a Mark or this Codex?”

  “That part still works.” I shrugged. “Perhaps he’s still inside me, but we just can’t communicate at the moment.”

  “Then it could still work!” Cinthara exclaimed. “We have to try, at least.”

  “What are even in these caverns?” I said. “Why do you want to get into them so badly?”

  “The real question is, why wouldn’t I? Isn’t there something intriguing about locked caverns appearing out of nowhere? There might be treasure in them–they might be dungeons with exciting challenges and great rewards at the end.” She grinned at me–I think it was the first time she’d ever shown me any emotion other than extreme indifference or intense dislike. “You have to admit, it’s exciting.”

  She was right, and I was vastly curious. If Lord Solomon had built them, he’d likely intended whatever was inside for his clones. In fact, if they opened through a clone with a Codex, these caverns definitely had something inside that would benefit me.

  “Fine,” I said. “When do you want to go?”

  Cinthara’s smile grew even wider, and I couldn’t help but notice how accommodating a smile looked on her pretty face. “How about now?”