"Who are you?" My voice wavered in the silence, but the figure didn't respond, her back still turned toward me. The air around us felt thick, as if the shadows themselves had weight. I took a step forward, my heart pounding in my chest. "Hey—who are you?" I demanded again, but she remained still, like a statue carved from darkness.

I couldn't take it anymore. With trembling hands, I reached out and yanked the hood from her head. The moment I saw her face, the breath caught in my throat—it was me. No, it was a twisted, darker version of me. Her eyes gleamed with something sinister, her smile cold and unfeeling.

"Y-you're... me?" I stammered, taking a step back.

She chuckled, a low, menacing sound that sent chills down my spine. "Yes," she said, her voice a velvet rasp. "I am."

My mind struggled to process what I was seeing. This thing, this dark reflection—how could it be me? I shook my head, refusing to believe it. "But you're—"

"I know what I am." She cut me off, her smile widening as if she relished my confusion. "I'm the part of you that you've buried, the part you pretend doesn't exist. I'm your darkness, your hatred, your vile nature."

I scoffed, trying to sound brave, but my voice cracked. "Yeah, right. I'm not like that." I turned my back on her and started to walk away, wanting to distance myself from whatever nightmare this was.

But before I could take another step, her icy grip clamped down on my arm. "You can't run from me," she whispered. Her voice was close, too close. "You can't hide from yourself forever."

I tried to pull free, but her hold was iron. "Let go!" I hissed.

She yanked me closer, her lips curling into a sneer. "You killed her." Her words hit me like a physical blow.

My stomach twisted. I knew who she meant. "Th-that was an accident!" My voice trembled, the words tasting bitter in my mouth. "I didn't—"

She grabbed my chin, forcing my face toward hers. Her eyes were no longer just dark—they were glowing, an eerie shade of purple that seemed to swirl with malice. "Stop lying to yourself." Her grip tightened, and I winced. "You wanted her dead. She was a threat. She betrayed you, betrayed your family for Heaven. You wanted her gone."

I tore my gaze away from hers, heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst. "No. No, I was defending my family. I—"

"Lies." Her voice dripped with contempt. She shook her head slowly, like a parent disappointed in a foolish child. "You wanted revenge. You're bloodthirsty, just like your father."

"My family isn't bloodthirsty!" I shouted, the words ripping from my throat, desperate to drown out her voice. "It's Heaven—it's them!"

Her mocking laughter echoed around me, cold and hollow. "Oh, don't be so naïve," she sneered, releasing me with a shove that sent me stumbling backward. "When will you finally see the truth? You come from a bloodline of evil. It's in your veins, in your soul. Accept it, and you'll become unstoppable."

I steadied myself, my breath coming in ragged gasps. "I am the Princess of this realm," I spat. "I protect my people. I don't need whatever you are."

She threw her head back and laughed—a long, cruel laugh that sent shivers down my spine. "Your people don't want you." Her voice was a taunt, full of venom. "They chose your brother. Your people abandoned you. And besides, look at you. Pathetic. Weak. A child of the great Lucifer, and this is what you've become?"

The words sank in deep, leaving me raw and exposed. "I'm not—"

"You are," she cut in coldly. "And that's why you're worthless." She paused, her gaze softening in a way that was almost... tender. "But you can change." Her voice lowered to a near whisper, seductive and dangerous.

I swallowed, my throat dry. "I don't want to become you."

Her eyes gleamed, her face softening into something almost maternal. She stepped closer, raising a hand to cup my cheek. Her touch was cold, yet strangely comforting. "Oh, darling..." Her voice was honeyed now, coaxing, like the whisper of temptation. "You could be so much more than this weak, fragile thing you are now. You're destined for greatness. All you have to do is let go of this silly notion of morality."

She leaned in, her breath brushing against my skin as she whispered in my ear. "Embrace the darkness, and they'll fear you. You'll become the daughter of Lucifer you were always meant to be, not this pitiful shadow of what you could become."

My heart raced, my mind screaming at me to resist, but her words seeped into me, wrapping around my thoughts like vines. I closed my eyes, trying to block out the pull of her voice.

"Come on," she purred, stroking my cheek gently. "You're tired, aren't you? Tired of being shoved aside while your brother takes all the glory, all the attention. Don't you want to stand tall, to have them see you? To make them respect and fear you?"

My lips quivered. "I... I don't know..."

She smiled, knowing she was getting to me. "Oh, I think you do. I know how badly you want that power." Her voice grew softer, more intimate. "I know how tired you are of being ignored. Of watching others get what should be yours."

I shook my head, but my resolve was crumbling. "What about Ellidy?" My voice was barely a whisper, my last tether to the light. "What would she think of me?"

The darkness in her eyes flared as she sneered. "Who cares what Ellidy thinks?" Her voice was sharp now, filled with disdain. "Once you embrace your true self, you won't need anyone. Love is nothing compared to the power you could wield. You'll be above them all."

Suddenly, a mirror materialized before us, the surface shimmering like liquid glass. She guided me toward it, her hands resting lightly on my shoulders. "Look at yourself," she whispered. "Really look."

I stared at the reflection. I was dressed in a gown of black, lined with deep purples and blues that seemed to pulse with dark energy. My face, though still mine, was sharper, colder, more powerful. She leaned in close, her chin resting on my shoulder as her voice caressed my ear.

"See? You're perfect this way. So strong. So powerful."

I couldn't tear my eyes away. My reflection suddenly moved, reaching out from the mirror, its hands grasping mine. I tried to pull away, but it held me fast, its grip pulling me closer to the mirror's surface. Panic surged through me, my heart racing as I struggled against the pull.

"Give in," she urged from behind me, her voice dripping with fascination. "Don't fight it."

"No!" I screamed, yanking my hands free, but it was too late. The reflection grabbed my arm, dragging me toward the glass. I struggled, the cold surface pressing against my skin.

I gasped, sitting bolt upright in my bed, drenched in sweat, my heart pounding in my chest. The darkness of my room surrounded me, but I was alone. I looked around frantically, my breathing ragged, but the only sound was my own.