#theodore sinclair

“Honestly, Theo,” Sebastian began, lifting his gaze from the, currently, half-read page. His voice was its typical quiet, neutral tone, even though he could practically feel his twin's frustration as his own. “You can’t hate him for that.”

Theo paused mid-pace, running a hand through his artfully tousled hair. He exhaled slowly—like he was trying not to unleash an entire sermon of frustration to his brother. “But I can hate him for a lot of other reasons,” he retorted, his electric-blue eyes flashing with a carefully contained fury that didn’t suit his typical warm demeanor.

They both knew exactly who they were referring to: Sylas Grey—the Lilin who had effortlessly stolen the show in that afternoon’s mock duel for Advanced Combat Theory. Theo hadn't quite expected him to pull off a series of pinpoint strikes the way he did—swift and calculated, brimming with a dangerous expertise that he wouldn't ordinarily show.

The part that stung Theo wasn’t the fact that Sylas had bested him.

No.

It wasn't that simple.

It never would be.

Instead, it was the silent understanding that neither of them had really used their full power; that they never do.

For all Sylas’s cunning and skill, Theo could have responded in kind. Should have, even. However, certain…constraints...kept him from unleashing the brilliance that lurked just below his calm exterior—the same way Sylas’s father likely kept the demon on a tight leash, compelling him to conceal the full extent of his own abilities.

Sebastian shut his book with a gentle snap, setting it aside on a table beside the armchair. He noted how his twin’s glow—an aura that always reminded him of sunrise—was tinged with a tense, jagged edge now. “He beat you in a fair fight,” He pointed out, calm and measured. “He didn’t cheat. You know Professor Alstrom’s wards would have caught any foul play.”

Theo’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I know,” he admitted, exhaling. “That’s not what bothers me.” A pause followed, charged with unspoken thoughts. “It’s the way he looks at me, Seb. Like he knows I’m—We're hiding something…like he sees right through the façade.”

A brief flicker of concern passed over Sebastian’s face. “We all are,” he murmured. “Hiding something, I mean.”

Theo glanced at his brother, jaw set, unintentionally ignoring his murmured words. “He’s manipulative. He’s arrogant. He has no respect for boundaries, no—” He forced himself to stop, breathing in deeply. “He tries to provoke me, pushes me to show everyone what I can really do.”

Despite his brother’s frustration, Sebastian couldn’t help but empathize. "Maybe it’s because he’s in the same predicament, Theo," he suggested softly. "Bound by his father’s will. Forced to posture and hide his real self. You two are more alike than you’d ever give credit." He knew Theo hated hearing that, hated the suggestion that he and Sylas might share anything in common...but Sebastian could see the parallels as clearly as the glow of their shared bloodline. Sylas’s careful manipulation, Theo’s calculated charm—they were two sides of the same coin.

Theo scoffed, rolling his eyes at his twin's words. "Us? Alike? Hardly." But his voice lacked any true conviction. A flash of memory flickered in his mind—Sylas’s steel-gray eyes locking onto his mid-duel, sharp and searching. To Theo, it was as if Sylas seemed to see right through him—as if they were playing a dangerous game of chess where every move could expose the other to a checkmate.

Running a hand over his face, Theo sighed, frustration lacing his words. "I know exactly why he’s trying to provoke me. He’s testing me—trying to figure out who we really are. He knows we don’t belong here, not in the way everyone else thinks we do, not in the way everyone else does. He wants leverage, and he’ll get it if I let my guard down."

Sebastian studied his twin’s profile: the regal lines of his face, the faint shimmer in his pale skin, the identical halo of golden hair whenever the lamplight caught it at the right angle. There was something in Theo’s intensity that reminded Sebastian just how much responsibility he carried. "Maybe because he knows you’re playing a role, just like he is," Sebastian said gently. "And maybe he knows what it would mean if you found out his secrets before he found out yours."

Theo shook his head, his lips pressing into a thin line. “I’ll give him credit for being sharp, but I’m not giving him an inch, Seb." For the first time this evening, Theo's gaze met his twin's own. "Not until I find out everything he’s hiding and make sure he doesn’t get the better of us first.”

With a slight nod, Sebastian sighed, “I understand.” He picked up his discarded tome again. “But please, remember that we have to spend the rest of the year in the same suite with him. Don’t let your hatred blind you to the bigger picture.”

Theo looked away, arms folded over his chest. “Fine,” he said, quieter now. “I won’t start a war in the common area.” A pause, then a reluctant half-smile tugged at his lips. “But if he pushes me again, I will show him a hint of what I can do, Seb.”

Sebastian returned that same small smile to his stubborn older brother, even though he wanted to roll his eyes. “Sylas probably wants that, Theo. You shouldn't give him the satisfaction.” He glanced out the window briefly, but his attention quickly went back to the tome in his hands, returning to the page he left off on.

Knowing there was nothing left to be said as his twin returned to his 'studies', Theo simply nodded to himself, giving a faint hum of acknowledgment. He let his gaze linger on the darkened corridor that led to their shared suite area.

He understood all too well that the demon’s hidden potential possibly rivaled his own.

To others, it seemed as though the public humiliation of losing the duel was what unsettled Theo today—but in truth, it was the unspoken fear that Sylas might one day see through the carefully constructed appearance he and his twin had so meticulously crafted.

...Because if Sylas ever uncovered the reality behind their light...