The Outsider Who Almost Got In

He was quiet.

Observant.

Didn’t interrupt.

The twins watched him closely.

Diana tested him with subtle contradictions.

Beckett stayed silent.

Then—

He laughed too loudly at something trivial.

The twins looked at each other.

“Disqualified,” Peresphone said.

“Noise category,” Hades confirmed.

Diana stood. “You were close.”

He didn’t understand why he failed.

They did.