“Has Sebastian gone to take a shower? I’m gonna wash up and change too,” Alisha said. “Sharon, hang out here for a bit. I’ll be quick.”

“No problem, cousin. Take your time,” Sharon replied.

As Alisha headed to her bedroom, Sharon let out a quiet breath. She’d gotten to know the layout of their house over the past few months. It had three bedrooms and two living rooms. Alisha’s master bedroom had its own small bathroom, while a bigger bathroom was down the hall.

Right now, Sebastian was in the big bathroom, and Alisha was in her bedroom’s bathroom.

That meant no one was around to see what Sharon did. She was free to snoop.

Perfect timing, she thought.

Sharon didn’t waste a second. She stood, tiptoed to Sebastian’s room, and paused at the door. He’d left it slightly ajar. Glancing around to make sure the coast was clear, she gently pushed it open and slipped inside.

Sebastian’s room was super tidy, everything in its place. The vibe was sleek and simple—cool grays and clean lines. It felt way more grown-up than Alisha’s room, which was bursting with bright colors like a teen’s. Honestly, Sharon always thought Sebastian acted more mature than his mom, who was the lively one despite being the parent.

She scanned the room, then headed to Sebastian’s bookshelf. The books were totally normal—school textbooks, some classic novels, nothing weird. Not even a single book about ghosts or magic.

Sharon’s eyes landed on the notebooks and papers spread across Sebastian’s desk. Her pulse quickened. If Sebastian was the person S.H.I.E.L.D. was after, there’d likely be clues right there, especially since he hadn’t hidden them. She took a few steps toward the desk but froze just a couple of feet away.

The notes were within reach—one step, and she could flip through them. But Sharon hesitated, her mind racing. If she looked, everything would change. Whether Sebastian was that person or not, she’d never be able to face Alisha or him the same way again. Alisha, especially, treated her like a real sister, and Sharon felt that bond deeply.

Over time, Sharon and Alisha had become true friends, almost family. Betraying that trust would break her heart.

She took a step back, thinking it over. The person S.H.I.E.L.D. was investigating hadn’t hurt anyone. They were out there stopping bad guys, doing good—like a real hero. If they’d done something awful, Sharon would’ve dug into their connection to Sebastian, no matter the cost. But this person hadn’t. Keeping their identity a secret felt more right than exposing them.

And if Sebastian was that person? As Alisha’s friend and someone who cared about him, Sharon felt a duty to protect him, especially if he wanted to keep his secret. As long as he wasn’t doing anything wrong, she’d have his back.

Sharon took a deep breath and turned away from the desk. She slipped out of the room, feeling lighter, like a weight had lifted.

Back in the living room, she sank into the cozy couch and flipped on the TV. Cheesy soap operas played in the background, and the nervous jitters from moments ago melted away.

Sharon’s phone buzzed. She pulled it out and saw a text from Coulson: Any updates?

She hesitated for a moment before typing a quick reply: Nothing unusual.

After sending the message, her phone went quiet. Sharon tucked it away, glanced at the TV, and smiled, feeling at ease.

She wasn’t just a mindless S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Sharon had her own perspective, shaped partly by her aunt, Peggy Carter. She thought more like a hero than a spy. Agents obsessed over completing missions; heroes cared about what was right.

That’s why, during the Avengers’ Civil War, she’d defied orders to help Captain America. Sure, she admired him, but it wasn’t just a crush. If Captain America had been out to wreck the world, Sharon wouldn’t have backed him, no matter how much she liked him. It was about doing what felt right.

While Sharon chilled on the couch, watching cheesy soap operas, Sebastian sat on the toilet in the big bathroom. The shower was running, but he hadn’t started washing. Instead, he’d been using a Scrying spell to spy on his bedroom through the bathroom mirror. He clearly saw Sharon sneak in, hesitate, and leave without touching his notebook.

Sebastian had been ready to cast Obliviate to erase Sharon’s memories if she’d found proof of his magic. He’d even planned to set up an illusion to throw off any suspicion. But Sharon had backed off—probably because of her bond with Alisha. That outcome was way better than his original plan.

“Not a bad result,” Sebastian muttered.

He tapped his wand on the mirror, ending the spell, then stripped down and actually started his shower.

The weekend passed quietly. On Monday morning, Sebastian left the house with Sharon, who’d stayed over. They said goodbye and headed their separate ways—Sebastian to school, Sharon to handle her work.

Since Friday night, Sharon had been crashing at their place more often, which was starting to stress Sebastian out. It made sneaking in magic practice at home way harder. He wasn’t clueless. After last night, and thinking about Sharon’s last name—Carter—he put it together. Even if he was slow, he’d figured out who she was: Peggy Carter’s niece, tied to one of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s founders and Captain America’s old flame.

Sebastian rode his bike to school. As he walked through the gates, he noticed everyone glued to their phones, watching videos and buzzing about something.

Spotting Sean in the distance, Sebastian grinned and waved. They did their usual handshake and shoulder bump before he asked, “Yo, Sean, what’s got everyone so hyped? Did something big go down?”

Sean sighed, clapping Sebastian on the shoulder. “Dude, sometimes I swear you’re from my grandparents’ era. You didn’t check Instagram or TikTok last night? Bet you don’t even watch TV! Otherwise, you’d know about this huge news.”

Sebastian had to admit he wasn’t big on phones, computers, or TV. Maybe it was a habit from his past life, but he’d rather study magic or read books than scroll through feeds. He’d gotten used to dodging screens, even though he was pretty good with tech when he needed to be.

He shrugged with a smile. “You know I’m more into books, man. So, what’s the deal?”

“Fine, I’ll be your news app from now on,” Sean teased. “Check out these two videos, and you’ll get it.”

Sean handed over his phone. Sebastian watched the first video—a shaky clip of Iron Man battling the Iron Monger, filmed from far away. The second was crystal clear: Tony Stark at a press conference. Tony started with a stiff, official speech but ditched it fast, looking straight at the reporters and declaring, “I am Iron Man!”

Sebastian passed the phone back. To most people, Tony’s speech screamed “hero.” Some thought it was just a cocky billionaire flexing. But Sebastian knew better. Those words marked the start of a new era—a time when heroes would come together.

Still, that wasn’t his fight. His goal was clear: get stronger, take down Thanos someday. Simple, but a long way off for now.

“So, pretty wild, right? You pumped?” Sean asked, eyes sparkling.

Sebastian blinked, his voice flat. “Uh, yeah, super pumped.”

“Your half-hearted tone says it all,” Sean groaned. “Come on, this isn’t exciting?”

Sebastian paused, then looked at Sean. “If aliens invade New York and a god with a giant hammer’s flying around, then I might get hyped.”

“Dude, Sebastian, you’re killing me with these jokes!” Sean laughed, shaking his head.

Sebastian smirked, feeling a bit weird. Sometimes, the truth was the hardest thing to believe, while lies spread like wildfire.

School was chill, and Sebastian soaked it up. After classes, he biked straight to the New York Sanctum. He needed Kamar Taj’s help to finish a potion that could ease Tony Stark’s palladium poisoning.

Stepping into the Sanctum, Sebastian was thrown off. Daniel, who usually greeted him, was gone. Instead, Casillas stood there to welcome him.

“Hey, Sebastian, good to see you,” Casillas greeted.

“Yo, Casillas, been a while. Where’s Daniel?” Sebastian asked.

Casillas seemed ready for the question. “Daniel’s off on a mission, so I’m covering for him at the New York Sanctum for now.”

Sebastian nodded slowly. “Got it. Could you let the Ancient One know I need to talk to her?”

Casillas paused, then nodded. “Funny you mention that. The Ancient One told me to send you to Kamar Taj if you showed up. She wants to see you too.”

“She wants to see me? That’s a wild coincidence,” Sebastian said, raising an eyebrow.

“You free to meet her now?” Casillas asked.

“Totally. I was planning to see her anyway. Lead the way,” Sebastian replied.

“Follow me,” Casillas said.

He guided Sebastian to a portal deep on the second floor of the New York Sanctum. In front of a carved, old-school door, Casillas stopped. “Sebastian, just push it open and step through. It’ll take you straight to Kamar Taj. I’ll wait here.”

“Thanks, Casillas,” Sebastian said with a nod.

He reached out, pushed the door, and walked in. The space around him warped for a split second, and suddenly he was in a dim, ancient-looking building. A tall, broad-shouldered mage stood by the entrance, waiting. When he saw Sebastian, he gave a small bow. “Sebastian, follow me. The Ancient One’s ready for you.”

“What’s your name?” Sebastian asked, though he had a hunch.

The mage smiled. “You can call me Wong. That’s what everyone at Kamar Taj calls me.”

“Cool, thanks,Master Wong,” Sebastian said.

“Whoa, ‘Wong’ is fine—’Master Wong’ sounds weird,” Wong chuckled.

“Got it, Wong it is,” Sebastian grinned.

“Thanks for getting that.”

They walked to a building with a vibe straight out of ancient China, all intricate wood and calm energy. The Ancient One stood in the center, like she’d sensed them coming.

“Ancient One, Sebastian’s here,” Wong announced.

She turned, nodding to Wong. “Thank you, Wong. You can head out.”

“See ya,” Wong said, leaving the room.

The Ancient One faced Sebastian. “Good to see you again, Sebastian.”

“Same here, Ancient One. I figured we’d cross paths eventually,” Sebastian said with a small smile.

“I heard you wanted to talk to me?” she asked.

“Yeah, I’ve got a project I need Kamar Taj’s help with,” Sebastian said.

“Perfect timing. I’ve got something I need your help with too,” the Ancient One replied, her eyes sharp but warm. “How about a deal? Like you said before—equal exchange. We help each other. What do you say?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep