Chapter 13: The Price of Deception

  The quiet sound of forks scraping against plates was the only noise in the room as Cassian and Sky sat across from each other at the small dinner table. The omelette between them was barely touched, and Cassian found himself lost in thought more than in the simple act of eating. His mind raced, every bite filling his stomach but not offering any peace. The weight of his own situation pressed down on him, suffocating him with each passing second.

  I need to do something about my own situation, Cassian thought, stabbing his fork into his food with unnecessary force. I can’t stay hidden forever. Raiden Nightshade will catch me eventually. The pressure’s building, and there’s nowhere to run.

  His gaze drifted over to Sky, who was carefully eating his food, eyes wide and innocent. The boy hadn’t yet spoken a word since they’d sat down, but Cassian could feel the question hanging in the air, waiting to be answered. Sky’s presence reminded him of everything that had been lost—his family, his future, his identity—and yet, here he was, sitting across from him, a boy with no one left in the world.

  And Sky’s situation... Cassian frowned, glancing at the empty space around them. He’s alone too. Alone, just like me.

  It was a cruel twist of fate that both of them were caught in this strange, suffocating web, trapped by circumstances far beyond their control. But as Cassian’s thoughts began to settle, something clicked in his mind. A dangerous idea, one that was as foolish as it was potentially genius.

  Cassian's grip tightened around the fork as his mind raced. If 'I want to survive Raiden Nightshade’s pursuit, I have to convince sky.'

  There were no reports of his brother’s death—an opportunity. I can replace his brother. But that would only be possible if fate was on his side.

  His heart hammered in his chest as he contemplated the risk. It’s suicidal, but if it works... it might just be my best shot at survival, after all this world is all about power, and Starfall name have that power

  He looked at Sky, who had paused mid-bite to look at him curiously.

  “Sky,” Cassian began, his voice steady, though his heart pounded in his ears. “You said I look like your brother, right? What’s the difference between me and him?”

  Sky blinked, looking up at him with innocent eyes, clearly trying to recall the details. After a moment of thought, he shrugged, a small smile tugging at his lips.

  “"Hmm… not much, I guess," Sky mused, chewing thoughtfully. "You’ve got a better jawline… hmm, maybe the same… though…" He tilted his head, studying Cassian closer. "And your eyes—they’re different… or maybe not. Your hair’s a bit shinier, I think."

  A light giggle escaped him as he continued, "Oh, and you’re taller—but not by much. You do look like him, though. It’s strange." His voice softened, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. "You remind me of him a lot, brother. ”Cassian swallowed thickly, trying to ignore the strange flutter in his chest at the word brother. It felt heavy, but he pushed it aside. This wasn’t the time for softness. He had to think rationally—had to survive.

  He leaned forward, meeting Sky’s gaze with a level of seriousness he hoped the boy wouldn’t question. “I’ve been thinking. I’m going to pretend to be your brother. Out in the world, at least. It’s a risk, but it might work.”

  Sky tilted his head, confusion flashing across his face. “Pretend?” His small brow furrowed. “But you’re not my brother... are you?”

  Cassian hesitated, feeling the weight of the lie settle over him like a shroud. “I know,” he said quietly. “But right now, pretending might be the best way to keep you safe. If I act like your brother—if I convince the world that I’m him—I’ll be able to keep people from asking too many questions about you. And it might confuse those who are after you.”

  Sky blinked, processing the information slowly, as if trying to work through the logic in his young mind. “You think someone is looking for me?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper.

  Cassian’s chest tightened. He hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but the truth was inevitable. "They’re after you, Sky. They killed your family. They’re still out there."

  “Yes,” Cassian answered, his voice soft but firm. “They might be looking for you. And if I pretend to be your brother, if I take his place… it could throw them off. At least for a while, maybe they will make mistakes...”

  Sky’s eyes were wide, full of uncertainty, but there was something else there too. A flicker of hope. He wanted to believe it. He wanted to believe that Cassian was offering him a solution, that this plan would give him back the family he had lost, even if it was just an illusion.

  “You’re really gonna do that?” Sky asked quietly, his voice barely audible. He looked at Cassian with a mix of awe and confusion. “You’ll be my brother?”

  Cassian felt a sharp pang of guilt at the word brother, but he pushed it down. He had to be strong now. For both of them. He had no other choice. He couldn’t afford to back down.

  “I will,” Cassian affirmed. “For you, I will.”

  The words hung between them for a moment, thick with the weight of what they implied. Cassian knew this was dangerous—recklessly so—but there was no other option. If he didn’t act, if he didn’t take this risk Sky would remain vulnerable, and Cassian would remain a fugitive, hunted by Raiden Nightshade and whoever else sought to destroy him.

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  Cassian’s mind churned with the possibilities. Pretending to be Sky’s brother—it was a fragile shield, a dangerous gamble. But in a world where survival meant everything, it might just be the only option left. Survival is everything

  Cassian thought bitterly.

  He glanced at Sky again, who was now smiling softly, though there was a quiet sadness in his eyes. Sky didn’t know the full weight of what Cassian was suggesting, but for now, that didn’t matter.

  Cassian’s own heart twisted with a strange sense of resolve. He wasn’t sure how long he could keep up the ruse, or how far this deception would take him. But one thing was certain: there was no turning back now.

  The game had begun. And Cassian would do whatever it took to win.

  Even if it meant losing himself along the way.

  Cassian took the empty plates from the table, his mind still swirling with the new identity he had just stepped into. He moved mechanically, his hands working quickly to clear the remnants of their simple meal. The kitchen, though small and cluttered, felt more like a sanctuary than a prison as he busied himself with the task. But beneath the surface of his actions, a dark current flowed. The weight of his plan, of pretending to be someone else, was heavier than he had anticipated.

  Sky’s small voice broke through his thoughts. “Brother?”

  Cassian turned to look at him, his face softening slightly as the boy stood up from his seat. Sky moved toward the kitchen, his feet light on the floor, the small clink of his shoes against the wooden tiles a soft rhythm in the otherwise silent room.

  “What is it, Sky?” Cassian asked, wiping his hands on a towel. He could feel the boy's eyes on him, the same eyes that had once held wonder but now held something more—anxiety, perhaps, or even a quiet hope. Hope that Cassian could fulfill this strange, dangerous role he had taken on.

  “My brother’s name,” Sky said, his voice just above a whisper, as though. “My brother’s name is Cassian Skyfall.”

  Cassian’s fingers froze for a moment before he continued wiping the plate. His heart skipped a beat. Cassian Skyfall.

  “That’s a coincidence,” Cassian said with a small, dry chuckle, but it felt hollow in his throat. “Your brother’s name is Cassian, too? But… his last name is different, huh?”

  Sky nodded, his eyes bright with what could only be described as a mix of confusion and wonder. “Yeah, your name is really close to his. It’s like you’re both the same person, just different. And… And you have the same face, too.”

  Cassian’s stomach clenched. It’s just a coincidence, he told himself again. This can’t be real…

  But Sky wasn’t finished. He moved closer, his small face scrunching up as he thought about something else.

  “You both are the same in so many ways. Except for the shouting,” Sky continued, his hands fiddling nervously with the hem of his shirt. “My brother... he never shouted. Not like you.” He stopped for a moment, a thoughtful look on his face. “But... there’s one more thing. My brother never said 'don’t touch me' like you do, either..”

  Cassian’s breath hitched in his chest at the mention of his own behavior. He hadn’t expected that Sky would notice. In truth, he hadn’t wanted to notice it himself. It was something he did without thinking, some defense mechanism, a shield against the world that had once broken him. And now, hearing it from Sky... the truth settled over him like a cold shroud.

  “Don’t touch me,” Cassian repeated quietly under his breath, as if testing the words. They were a command, a rule he'd set for himself, one that had been engraved deep into his psyche. His heart ached at the thought of how he’d pushed Sky away, the little boy who had done nothing but offer him kindness.

  Sky tilted his head slightly, his young face betraying a mixture of confusion and sadness. “Why do you always say that?” he asked, voice soft and full of concern. “Do you not want me to be close?”

  Cassian swallowed hard, the sudden lump in his throat threatening to choke him. He couldn’t look at Sky, couldn’t bear the way the boy’s innocent eyes searched his face, looking for an answer.

  “It’s complicated,” Cassian murmured. “I... don’t like being touched. It’s just the way I am. It’s better that way.”

  Sky, however, wasn’t satisfied with the answer. He looked up at him, a determined glint in his eyes. “But you’re my brother, right?” he asked softly, his small voice filled with hope. “You said you would be.”

  Cassian’s chest tightened painfully. Brother. The word was like a blade, cutting into him deeper than he ever thought possible. He wanted to reach out to Sky, wanted to pull the boy into his arms and tell him everything would be okay, but the walls around his heart wouldn’t allow it. He couldn’t let himself be vulnerable—not now, not when everything was so uncertain.

  “I... I am,” Cassian said, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. “I’m your brother, Sky. I’ll protect you.” continue in his thought ‘and myself…’

  But the truth was, Cassian didn’t even know if he could protect himself, let alone a child who had already been through so much. The lie he was telling Sky was growing heavier with each passing moment, and the weight of it threatened to crush him.

  Sky didn’t respond immediately. He simply stood there, watching Cassian with wide, trusting eyes. After a long moment, the boy smiled a little, a quiet, almost shy smile.

  “I’m glad you’re my brother,” he said, his voice so full of innocence that it made Cassian want to shatter into a million pieces. “You’re all I have left. Just like Mama and Dada always said. Family’s the most important thing.”

  Cassian’s heart stuttered, his breath coming in short, shallow gasps. Family. The word felt foreign, like a ghost he couldn’t quite grasp. His family was gone, erased from his life in an instant. And now here he was, standing in the middle of this fragile illusion, pretending to be something he wasn’t.

  'How long can I keep this up?' he thought desperately. 'How long before the truth unravels?'

  The question lingered in the air, unanswered, as he looked at Sky. The boy was still smiling, still believing in the illusion Cassian had created. But for how long?

  The weight of the deception grew heavier in his chest, but for the moment, he would play the part. For Sky’s sake. For his own.

  But even as he smiled back, Cassian couldn’t shake the feeling that the price of this deception would be far greater than he could ever imagine.