Sometimes yesterday’s echoes become the whispers of today, leading us through a maze of déjà vu.

A female voice whispered in my ear, pulling me out of my sleep. Sunlight rays streamed through the window, making me squint and blink a few times. Am I lying on my bed right now? I stared blankly at the ceiling.

In an instant, I jolted upright. Eyes darting around the room. The familiar scent of lavender filled the air, and the morning sun warmed my face. Everything looked normal. But how could that be? I touched my chest, half-expecting to find Catherine’s rapier still there. But there was nothing. No wound, no pain. It was like it never happened.

What the hell is going on? Was it all just a dream? And what day is it, anyway?

I threw off the quilt and swung my legs over the side of the bed. My head felt fuzzy, so I gave it a quick shake to clear the haze. I made my way to the large mirror in my bedroom and a familiar dude with uncombed hair and hazel eyes stared back at me. Something feels off, but I can’t put my finger on it. I checked my chest again. No hole. No sign of the deadly injury. Nothing.

Wait a minute! Is this what happens when you die? Do you get sent to a place that was special to you in life? But why my house and not the Royal Rose? I’d much rather spend eternity there than here. Seriously, what is happening to me?

I washed up and got dressed. My movements were instinctive as my mind tracked back to Lysander’s attack on the estate. I replayed every detail in my head, trying to make sense of it all.

I went downstairs with cautious steps. The house looked the same as always, which was both comforting and unsettling. The quiet of the morning was starting to get to me. Had nothing changed, or was there something huge I was missing?

On the first floor, near the dining table, Alfred and Matilda were doing their usual routine. Matilda cleaned the table in slow, deliberate circles while Alfred spoke to her in quiet tones. When their eyes fell upon me coming down the stairs, their heads snapped up. Alfred’s mouth fell open, and Matilda raised a hand to cover hers. They looked at me like I’d come back from the dead, which, given the circumstances, I probably had.

“M-Master Alex,” Alfred’s voice trembling as if he’d just seen a ghost.

What is with this? The same reaction as yesterday morning? Though I decided to play along, I couldn’t be sure of the exact words used.

“What, Alfred?” I took a couple of steps closer.

“Where did you come from?” he asked, still gawking at me.

“My bedroom.”

“At this hour?” His eyes widened further.

Once more, I tried to recall what I had said to him the day before. Oh, that’s right. I remember now. “What’s wrong with that?”

Alfred pointed his finger toward the grandfather clock in the corner. It was eight-thirty. “You never get up this early.”

I felt as if I had been hit by a ton of rocks. It confirms now. This is exactly like yesterday morning. Okay, what’s next? Oh, Alfred will ask about my sword. Silence. We just stood there staring at each other, waiting for one of us to speak first. I glanced at Matilda and then back at him. Still nothing.

I looked down at my waist where my sword should have been. It wasn’t there. Ah, this time I hadn’t brought it with me. Should I go back to my bedroom and get it?

But Alfred’s voice cut off my retreating thoughts. “Master Alex? Is there anything you want to ask me?”

I squinted at him. “Umm… Just get me something to eat, and no rush this time.”

“Understood, Master Alex.” Alfred looked at Matilda. She shrugged her shoulders. Her expression was one of bewilderment, and I couldn’t blame her. I was just as puzzled by my own behavior.

I sat down at the dining table, my mind a tangled mess like a bowl of soup with too many ingredients. Did I travel back in time? If so, what is causing it? And why am I the only one who seems to notice? If today is supposed to be a repeat of yesterday, why had I forgotten my sword? Is it because I made a different choice, or is it simply a lapse in my memory? I feel like I am on the edge of solving this puzzle but can’t quite grasp it.

I glanced around at the floor near me, almost as if I was searching for a clue. Eh? What the hell am I looking for? It took me quite a while to figure out what it was until my eyes widened like a startled toddler.

“Jitters!” My meeting with him was supposed to take place later in the morning. Is he going to be there again in the alleyway near the Chosen One bar? I nodded in conviction. I decided to verify that everything that happened to me yesterday morning was happening again today.

By nine, I had finished the breakfast. My belly was full, but my mind was far from settled. It was time to go out and start unraveling this mystery. I reached for the doorknob, but before my hand could touch it, the door flew open.

Alistair burst in, his face as red as a beetroot. “Alex, you numbskull! You didn’t wait for me yesterday!” he bellowed.

Another shock. Before I could fully process the situation, I stepped forward and hugged him tightly. My brother was still alive. The memory of finding him dead beside Aeryn flashed through my mind. The rush of relief, of emotion, was almost too much. I had almost forgotten what it felt like to hold him, to know he was still here. That means Aeryn was alive as well.

“Hey, Alex, are you crying?” Alistair’s tone was forgiving yet puzzled. “Don’t be. I’m not mad at you or anything. But why are you being so sensitive right now?”

A smile, born from sheer relief, spread across my face. “I’m just glad to see you, Alistair.”

“Really?” His face lit up, pride and contentment reflected in his eyes. It was a look that warmed my heart because it made me sure he felt the same way.

“Of course, you dork,” I chuckled, gazing at him warmly. His bemused expression only made me chuckle more. He was completely out of his depth, unable to interpret my strange behavior.

“Err… so the reason I didn’t wait for you is that Grinwald pulled me off to the training yard for sword practice,” I replied to his earlier question, hoping my answer from yesterday would hold.

“Okay, that’s fine,” he looked satisfied with the explanation, likely swayed by the brotherly hug and my earnest tone.

“Right, Alistair. I need to head to town. There’s an urgent matter I need to attend to.” I placed my hand on his shoulder, my tone turning serious. “Now move, before I knuckle your head.” I needed to stay in character. Otherwise, he might become suspicious. Or worse, he might tell my other siblings, my parents, and even the estate staff about how I turned soft and easily flustered when I got emotional. No way I wanted to be drawn away from my usual personality. Got an image to protect, after all.

“All right, Alex,” he scurried out of my path. I watched him step aside, my eyes on him to be certain my façade was one hundred and ten percent in place. It’s okay to be duplicitous with someone you care about when you know it’s for a good reason. Even if that reason happens to be totally baseless.

But as I turned to leave, I noticed Alistair was on the verge of saying something. I cut him off. “Err… last night, I was late for the sendoff gathering because I got wasted in town,” I lied. “And you want to tell me that Catherine Lysander is coming to our estate later in the afternoon, right?”

“Yeah,” Alistair’s brows wrinkled. “But how do you know Catherine is coming? Aiden just told me half an hour ago, and Alfred must not know this either, so it couldn’t be him who told you. Did Aiden come here just now and tell you? Then why did he ask me to do it?”

How should I answer him here? I took a deep breath, my mind working to get the best response. “To tell you the truth, Alistair, I can see the future.” That’s a good one. Thumbs up for me.

“You’re joking, right?” Alistair gave me a skeptical look. “It’s not funny. Just tell me who you heard it from.”

I began walking away from him, chuckling. “Like I said, dude, I can see the future. Like a… prophet. A one-day prophet.” Well, that settled a few things. Now to find more answers. And I could find them in town. If what I’m going through is just a vision of the future or being magically thrown back to the eve of Lysander’s act of treachery, then understanding the key moments and decisions might be the key to stopping the nightmare that is going to befall my house.