Page 15 of Avidian
Carmen’s form flickers, her translucent glow dimming slightly. Her hands tremble as they rest on her lap, and when she looks at me, her expression is a mix of fear and heartbreak.
She whispers, but I can’t catch it, like it costs her something to say it.
I lean in closer, my pulse quickening. “He? Who, Carmen? Who did this to you?”
Her lips part again, but this time they tremble, as though the words are too painful to release. Her form begins to blur at the edges, and I think she’s about to vanish completely.
But then she says, “He promised. He lied.” Her hands move, clutching at her throat. “I loved him. He said I wouldn’t get hurt. He said I only had to lure him away, but then he…” Her voice cracks. “He…watched.”
The air grows colder, the frost biting at my skin. My heart pounds. Watched? Who watched? Lure him away?
“Damien?” I ask before I can stop myself. But she doesn’t answer—doesn’t even flinch. Instead, her head snaps to the side, her attention drawn to the door as though someone is standing there, listening.
“No,” she whispers, the word trembling as her entire form begins to waver.
Her presence flickers violently, and she twists to face me, her translucent hands reaching out but stopping short. Her eyes, wide and filled with terror, bore into mine. “Run,” she says, “before he knows…”
And then she’s gone, the glow fading entirely. The room is silent, the air heavy and cold, leaving her cryptic warnings burning in my mind.
I pull the door open, and Malachi and Anton are both standing right outside, tense and expectant.
“What did you see?” Malachi asks immediately, his gold-flecked eyes narrowing as they search my face.
“Nothing,” I say automatically, my voice hollow, the words spilling out before I’ve even thought them through. My mind is too busy racing, trying to piece together Carmen’s fragmented revelation. He promised. He lied. He watched.
“That didn’t sound like nothing,” Anton rumbles, stepping closer, his bulk making the narrow hallway feel suffocating.
I shake my head, avoiding his piercing gaze. “I need air,” I mutter, trying to sidestep him.
“Air can wait,” Anton grunts, moving to block my path with his broad frame. “We need answers. Viktor needs answers.”
“I need air,” I repeat, louder this time, straightening my shoulders as I meet his cold, unyielding stare head-on. “Unless you’d like me to pass out on your boots, I suggest you let me through.”
Anton’s jaw tightens, his lips pressing into a hard line. His eyes flick to Malachi, who shrugs. Finally, with a muttered curse, Anton steps aside.
I push past him, relief washing over me as I leave the room behind. Malachi, of course, falls into step behind me like a fucking shadow, his presence as persistent as ever. At least Anton doesn’t follow. He’s probably already back in that room, poking around.
I make my way to the double doors at the front of the mansion. Thankfully, I don’t pass anyone on the way. The last thing I need right now is another confrontation or curious stares.
“Where are you going?” Malachi calls as I push the heavy doors open and step outside.
The cold air hits me instantly, sharp and biting, but it’s a relief after the tension inside. I pull my beanie from my pocket and tug it over my head, ignoring him as I descend the side steps.
I stop a few feet into the clearing, the forest stretching out before me like a frozen canvas. The air is so still it feels like the world is holding its breath.
In the daylight, I can really see this place for what it is—it’s stunning. A perfect winter wonderland. The snow covers the ground like a thick, untouched blanket, sparkling under the weak sunlight. The bony trees surrounding the estate are coated in frost, their dark branches glittering with small pillows of snow that cling stubbornly to the tips.
I close my eyes, taking a deep breath, letting the fresh air fill my lungs. The tension eases slightly as I stand there, the cold seeping through my sweater but somehow still comforting. This moment, however fleeting, feels like the first bit of calm I’ve had since I arrived.
Malachi’s voice pulls me back. “Admiring the scenery?” His demeanor is lighter now, less pushy, though I can still feel the curiosity simmering beneath the surface.
I glance over my shoulder at him a few feet away, his hands shoved into the pockets of his coat. “Maybe I needed to breathe without someone watching me like a hawk,” I snap.
“You did storm out dramatically,” he says, his smirk reappearing. “What was I supposed to do, let you wander off alone in the snow?”
“Yes!” My lips twitch slightly despite myself.
He shakes his head, stepping closer but keeping a respectful distance. “I’m here to admire the view too. No hovering, I promise.”
