Page 485 of Axis of Fire

"You came here to meet your true self," she said. "The version that carries all three branches of your existence—your past, your present, and your future."

"I don't remember looking like that in the past."

I arched a brow, crossing my arms.

Then the word future caught up with me, and my eyes snapped back to her as I studied every detail of her appearance.

"So..." I said slowly. "Does that mean meeting you lets me glimpse who I'll become?"

She said nothing.

Only kept smiling.

"You already know the answer to every question I'm asking, don't you?"

"Then why am I even here?" Irritation flared inside me. "What's the point of meeting you?"

"To admire me," she replied with an indifferent shrug.

I snorted.

God...

No wonder I annoyed people.

"Actually," she continued, "I'll be the one asking the questions."

"And what's the point of that?" I frowned. "You already know all the answers."

The same expression appeared on her face.

"You know," she said, "instead of arguing with yourself, I'd take advantage of this opportunity and leave with something worthwhile."

"That sounds like something my future self would say," I muttered.

"Maybe one day you'll finally accept yourself," she answered quietly. "And you'll agree."

I scoffed.

"I already accept myself."

My true self burst into laughter.

Loud.

Shameless.

"I've known you your entire life," she said once the laughter faded. "You've always believed the darkness inside you was something wrong... something damaged. Something corrupt."

I stayed silent.

"You were ashamed of it."

Her gaze never left mine.

"And whenever you did embrace it, you rejected every part of yourself that was light."

Silence.