"I think being Cassian means you don't need permission to do anything in Avalon. Not even from the system."
Aria sat up slightly, swiping her fingers across the air to summon her ONYX display. The glass-thin panel flickered into view above them—its light soft, almost reluctant. She navigated without speaking, movements sure, efficient. Then paused.
"There."
She tilted the panel toward Aiden.
Prestige Link: Confirmed
[Origin: DANTES, C.]
[Recipient: LANCASTER, A.]
[Tier: Redacted – Zeroth Protocol]
[Status: Permanent. Irreversible.]
[Visibility: Hidden]
Aiden's eyes locked on the line—specifically, on the one word that didn't belong.
Zeroth Protocol.
It wasn't highlighted. Wasn't explained. Just there.
His tone shifted, something underneath it tightening. "Zeroth..."
Aria caught the change in his expression.
"You've seen it before," she said—not as a question.
Aiden nodded, slowly. "Logic Lab 2B. It flashed on a diagnostic run. For less than a second. Then disappeared. I thought it was a drift error."
But this wasn't a drift.
This was logged. Marked. Named.
And worse—hidden.
Aria watched him, careful.
"You think it means something?"
He didn't answer at first. Just stared at the word, like it might crack open if he focused hard enough.
"Where's your golden key?" Aiden asked suddenly, his voice more serious than the question sounded.
Aria didn't look up. "StyleVault. Where else would it be? All our worldly treasures, perfectly tagged and alphabetized by ONYX like obedient museum pieces."
Aiden didn't laugh. "Can you bring it out?"
The lights adjusted without a cue, sensing motion.
Aria sighed—half amused, half curious—and rose.
The StyleVault recognized her instantly. No gestures, no commands. Just presence.
The glass panel dissolved in a ripple of light, revealing its curated interior—less like a drawer, more like a museum vault filtered through algorithmic precision.
She reached in and retrieved the golden key.
Sleek. Weightless. Warm to the touch, as if it remembered being held.
She turned it once in her fingers before handing it over.
Aiden didn't take it immediately. He studied it—really studied it—his brows narrowing like he was solving something that hadn't yet been asked.
Then, finally:
"From now on... keep it with you. Don't store it. Don't archive it. Just carry it."
Aria blinked. "You think it's tracking us?"
"I think," he said slowly, "it's doing more than that."
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Valmont Series - Inheritance Code
Teen FictionWhat if your perfect life was just a rehearsal? On their twelfth birthday, Aria and Aiden Lancaster wake expecting luxury, freedom, and the future they were promised. Instead, they're given an ultimatum: Leave everything behind - their friends, thei...
Chapter 8.5 - Zeroth Protocol
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