Chapter 67: The Flames Beneath the Tide
The ballroom of the Imperial Zenith Hotel was designed to impress: crystal chandeliers the size of spacecrafts, gold-leaf railings, and a thousand murmuring voices echoing across the marbled walls. But for all its opulence, the real heat of the evening wasn't the decor—it was the battle of glances between two titans of the corporate world, both in their late twenties, both with empires to their names, and both completely unaware that they had once ruled over fire and sea.
Mira Thalor stood near the champagne fountain, her gown the color of twilight waves, silk draped like the tides over her figure. Around her wrist coiled a bracelet made from rare Abyssinian pearls, a family heirloom—one that shimmered unnaturally when exposed to moonlight or salt.
She held herself with serene poise, exuding the calm dominance of a CEO who could drown her enemies in spreadsheets and still make it look graceful. Her company, Thalor Blue Holdings, was the undisputed queen of clean energy solutions, maritime security, and AI-driven desalination tech.
And she was not pleased.
Across the room stood the flame to her ocean: Jaxon Pyranthos. In a dark crimson suit stitched with subtle golden embers that glowed when the light hit just right, Jaxon leaned against the bar with a lazy elegance that could set whole rooms ablaze. He held a whiskey glass like a scepter, smirking as if he'd just won a private joke only he understood.
His company, Pyranthos Global, was a juggernaut of innovation—military-grade defense contracts, plasma reactors, and controversial terraforming experiments in unclaimed international waters. His mere presence made stock prices shiver.
And tonight, they were both here to bid on the exclusive rights to the Archipelago Nexus Project: a series of artificial islands designed to host the world's next financial capital. Whoever won this project wouldn't just control a city; they'd control global currents of power—economic, political, environmental.
Mira took a long sip of her sparkling water. She hated that he was already looking at her. She hated even more that her body tensed when he did.
He walked over.
"Miss Thalor. I hear the ocean tides are merciful this time of year. That must be comforting, considering how much water your portfolio's been losing lately."
She gave him a smile so polished it could blind gods.
"Jaxon. I see you're still on fire with your metaphors. Might want to invest in better containment before your shares combust."
They stood toe to toe now. Around them, cameras clicked quietly, whispers stirred, and a nearby waiter wisely backed out of their aura.
Mira continued, "Don't you have an AI weapons merger to fumble? Or are you here to poach ideas again?"
He leaned closer, voice dipping. "I don't poach. I ignite. Big difference."
Their eyes locked, and for the briefest moment, time bent. Mira's glass fogged over. A chandelier flickered. Somewhere near the dance floor, the ice sculpture began to melt prematurely.
A memory tugged at her.
Flames on an altar. A kiss beneath the stars. A name—Nereus?—whispered like seafoam.
She blinked, shook her head, and the image evaporated.
Jaxon, meanwhile, had briefly seen waves crashing inside his whiskey glass. His heart pounded like war drums. What the hell was happening?
"Something wrong?" Mira asked, tilting her head.
"You tell me," he said, eyes narrowing.
Before either could speak further, the ballroom's massive screen lit up, displaying the Archipelago Nexus bidding queue. Mira's name flickered into the top slot—just above Jaxon's.
She stepped forward with regal confidence. "Well. If you'll excuse me, I have an empire to build."
"Be careful," Jaxon murmured. "The tides change quickly."
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Hours Later – Rooftop Garden of Imperial Zenith Hotel
Mira's heels clicked against the limestone as she stepped into the private garden, needing space. The stars shimmered above, but her mind swam with heat. The memory… the flicker… the familiarity.
She looked over the edge at the fountain below. A single droplet from her pearl bracelet hit the stone, and steam rose.
That was not normal.
And then—
"Couldn't sleep either?" came a voice behind her. She turned to find Jaxon, jacket off, sleeves rolled, hair tousled by the wind.
He tossed her a bottle of water. "Truce? Just for tonight."
She hesitated, then accepted. "Fine. But if you try to set me on fire, I'm pushing you off this building."
"Fair."
They sat side by side on the stone bench. A long silence. Then—
"Do you ever feel like…" Jaxon started, struggling for words, "...you've been somewhere before, but it's not in this life?"
Mira nodded slowly. "Lately. It's been… vivid. Dreams. Voices. Strange reactions."
He looked at her, startled. "You too?"
Their hands brushed. The wind stilled.
Then her bracelet flared blue. His cufflinks sparked.
And above them, the clouds parted to reveal a moon that had not risen in centuries—one marked by twin sigils of fire and tide.
Far beneath the earth, something ancient stirred.
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