Page 80 of Seeking Shadows

I take a deep breath, trying to keep control, but the anger still burns inside. “Maybe the fact that I don’t want you in my life. Too much time has passed. You should move on.” My words come out sharp, almost like a defense.

He doesn't move, just stares at me with an intensity that makes me want to look away. But I won't. "Wrong answer. Try again."

I huff, the weight of the conversation becoming harder by the second.

The sound of the river seems louder now, more irritating, as if it's pressing the words out of me.

“Okay, I had to do this, okay?” I mix truth and lie, trying to make sense of the confusion that’s consuming me. “She hurt Zane, and no one hurts someone I love.” The sentence slips out with cold anger, but the explanation behind it is darker. “I’ve been back for a few days, but I wasn’t really into social interactions. It’s hard to adjust to this new world,” I say, my voice wavering a little at the end, like I’m trying to convince myself, not just him.

Seth watches me with hard eyes, trying to detect the lie between the words.

He takes a step toward me, unhurriedly, but with an uncomfortable certainty in his gaze. “Don’t do that again, Mia.” His voice is grave, a warning.

I laugh humorlessly, forcing a smile. “I know Abby was the one who turned me in.”

Seth doesn't bother to deny it. "She didn't mean any harm," he says, the coldness that always lingers in his voice. "She's not like that. Abigail is extremely sweet, annoyingly nice."

“Well, she sent you to me because she doesn’t trust me. Even the nice ones can backstab you.” Venom escapes my lips, and my voice cracks for a second, but I force my calm back.

“She sent me here because she’s worried about you,” he says, the change in his tone making my stomach turn. “Sis, you’re smarter than this.” He lets out a heavy sigh. “She said, and I quote, ‘Could you check with the health department today? Maybe Mia’s in trouble, and I wouldn’t be able to sleep without knowing she’s okay.’”

I'm silent for a moment, the weight of the words hitting me.

I can't be ironic about it. I can't hide from the truth anymore.

Shit, I can't stay mad about this. Not when they actually care.

Seth watches, not pressing me, but I know he's waiting for something. I take a deep breath, trying to push away the anger, but the emptiness inside me doesn't go away.

He still sees me as the Mia he knows, but the Mia I am now, after everything that happened... she doesn't exist anymore.

Seth watches me, his gaze sharp, as if he's waiting for me to slip up.

The river continues to flow in the background, as if mocking the situation. It doesn't move, just stares at me, and the tension between us grows. The smell of blood mixed with earth doesn't help.

“People in Evermore have a tendency to butt into each other’s business. They do it because they care. You learn to get used to it.”

"Who said I want to be part of Evermore? Did you already forget where I come from?"

“You’re not him, Mia. You did what you had to do to survive. That doesn’t make you bad.”

“Yes, it does.”

“Let me help you.”

“I don’t need your help.”

“So explain it to me,” he begins, his tone a little more biting now. “You went on a killing spree and didn’t even invite me? Damn, sis—what a waste of quality bonding time. If you’d stop pushing me away for five seconds, we might’ve actually had some fun. And now I’m supposed to believe you don’t need backup? Seriously?”

I stop for a second, hesitate, but soon the anger comes back with force. “That’s the only thing you know how to do, isn’t it? Thinking you have control over everything. That I need help, that I’m broken. Well, guess what? I don’t need anyone to solve my problems. I never did!”

Seth steps forward, his gaze still defiant. "Sure, you're Superwoman, right? But here, Mia, you're covered in blood, alone in the middle of the woods, and you think everything's fine? You can't just keep pretending everything's fine."

I lift my head, anger mixing with pain. “It’s not about pretending, Seth. I’mreallygood at dealing with shit, you know that. But that’s not what you want to hear, is it? You want to see me fall, you want to see me fail. Because I’m a stranger to you. And you don’t trust me.”

Seth lets out a low, almost sarcastic laugh. "Is that what you think I want? Geez, Mia. I'm trying to give you a hand here, but you always seem to be running away."

The distance between us seems to grow with every word.

---