chapter 5

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The name hung heavy in Mia's mind, a revelation that took her five years to piece together: Silco. Not just a man, but a force. A leader who had reshaped Zaun with fire and fury—and someone she could no longer see as simply her captor. The longer she stayed, the harder it became to remember why she had resisted him in the first place.

Those years were a blur of survival and compromise. Mia had stayed in Silco’s orbit, playing the loyal pawn while secretly yearning to reach Jinx. But Jinx had changed. She was no longer Powder, the girl Mia once knew. Jinx had become something else entirely—a whirlwind of chaos and rage, Silco’s perfect weapon.

The workshop had become a battleground, not of fists, but of words. Jinx would laugh, sneer, and taunt Mia whenever she tried to reach out. Tonight was no different.

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“You’re pathetic,” Jinx spat, her voice sharp as a blade. She leaned against the workbench, her ever-present smirk twisting her lips. “You’re still trying to ‘save’ me? That’s cute, sis. Real cute.”

Mia flinched at the word “sis.” Jinx only ever used it mockingly now, a cruel echo of the bond they once shared.

“I’m not trying to save you,” Mia said evenly, though her voice wavered. “I’m trying to remind you who you are.”

Jinx’s laugh was bitter, her eyes alight with a manic energy. “Oh, I know who I am. I’m Jinx. I make the rules now. And you? You’re just a stray Silco picked up to replace Vi.”

Mia’s heart clenched at the mention of Vi. “I’m not replacing anyone,” she said firmly. “I’m here because I—”

“Because you’re weak,” Jinx interrupted, stepping closer, her face inches from Mia’s. “Face it, Mia. You’ll never be my sister. Vi is my real sister. And you? You’re nothing.”

The words hit Mia like a punch to the gut, but she refused to let it show. “If that’s true,” she said quietly, “then why are you so angry?”

Jinx blinked, her smirk faltering for just a moment before she snarled and turned away. “Go crawl back to Silco,” she muttered. “That’s all you’re good for.”

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Later that night, Mia found herself in Silco’s office. The dim light of the room cast long shadows, and Silco’s calculating gaze met hers as she entered. He was the same as ever—calm, composed, and terrifyingly persuasive.

“You look lost,” he said, his voice smooth as silk. “Again.”

Mia hesitated, her fists clenched at her sides. “She’ll never listen to me.”

Silco rose from his chair, his movements deliberate. He walked around the desk and stopped just in front of her, his piercing eyes searching hers. “That’s because you’re still trying to speak to Powder. But Powder is gone, Mia. She’s Jinx now. And if you want to reach her, you’ll have to become someone new.”

Mia swallowed hard, the weight of his words pressing down on her. “What do you mean?”

Silco’s hand rested lightly on her shoulder, his touch both comforting and oppressive. “You’ve been holding on to your old self—your old ideals. But to survive in Zaun, to thrive here, you must let go. You must become something more. Something stronger.”

He paused, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “You must become Aria.”

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The name lingered in Mia’s mind long after she left Silco’s office. Aria. A new identity, a new mask. She hated the thought of becoming what Silco wanted, of giving in to his manipulation. But deep down, she knew that if she didn’t change, she would never stand a chance against Jinx—or against Silco himself.

The weeks that followed were grueling. Silco pushed her harder than ever, molding her into the image of Aria—a loyal, unyielding enforcer. At first, Mia resisted, clinging to the remnants of who she once was. But as time went on, she found herself slipping further and further into the role.

And Jinx noticed.

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One night, during a particularly tense confrontation in the workshop, Jinx’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Mia. “You’re different,” she said, her voice laced with suspicion. “You think you’re better than me now? Just because Silco likes you?”

Mia stood her ground, her new-found confidence as Aria shielding her from Jinx’s barbs. “I’m not trying to be better than you,” she said calmly. “I’m trying to fix what’s broken.”

Jinx laughed, the sound harsh and grating. “Oh, you’re broken too, Aria. You just don’t know it yet.”

The name stung, but Mia refused to let it show. She had chosen this path, and she would see it through. “Maybe I am,” she said quietly. “But at least I’m trying to do something about it.”

Jinx’s smirk faltered, but she quickly masked it with another cruel laugh. “You’re such a joke, Aria. You’ll never be one of us.”

Mia’s heart ached, but she pushed the pain aside. She wasn’t doing this for Jinx’s approval. She was doing it to save her—whether Jinx wanted to be saved or not.

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As , Mia stood alone in the dim light of the workshop, her thoughts a chaotic mess. She had spent five years trying to hold onto who she was, trying to resist Silco’s influence. But now, she wasn’t sure where Mia ended and Aria began.

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