The silence in the room was suffocating. Alexander's finger hovered over the rifle's trigger, his mind weighing their slim odds. Isabella could feel the tension in his body, coiled tight, ready to spring if necessary.
The man in the dark coat remained calm, his cold eyes fixed on them, waiting for their move. But Isabella's thoughts were elsewhere—on the voice that had called her name, the one that claimed to be Eliza.
Where had it gone?
Her gut twisted, dread creeping up her spine. Something wasn't adding up. The timing of the voice, the sudden arrival of this man… Was it all part of the same trap? And if it was, why had the voice stopped as soon as he appeared?
Isabella felt Alexander's grip tighten on her hand. "We need to decide," he whispered urgently. "Now."
The man's smile returned, thin and calculating. "Tick-tock," he said. "Time's running out."
A second figure emerged from behind him, a woman, her face partially hidden by the shadows. Her eyes locked on Isabella's, and for a brief second, there was something in that gaze—recognition, maybe even a flicker of guilt.
"Who are you?" Isabella demanded again, this time addressing the woman. "Why did you call my name?"
The woman flinched, her lips parting as if to answer, but she quickly glanced at the man beside her and fell silent.
Isabella's heart raced. She knows me. But from where? And why wouldn't she speak?
Alexander shifted his stance, drawing their attention back to him. "We'll give you the documents," he said slowly, "but not until you explain what's really going on."
The man raised an eyebrow, his amusement barely concealed. "You're in no position to make demands."
"Neither are you," Alexander shot back. "If you knew where the documents were, you'd already have them."
The man's smile faltered for the first time, irritation flashing in his eyes. He stepped forward, his hand inching toward the gun at his side, but then the woman behind him spoke up, her voice soft but steady.
"Wait."
Everyone froze.
The man turned to her, his expression darkening. "What are you doing?"
The woman ignored him, her gaze still locked on Isabella. "You're right," she said, her voice tinged with something that sounded almost like remorse. "I called your name. I was the one who led you here."
Isabella blinked, confusion swirling in her mind. "Why? Why would you do that?"
The woman hesitated, glancing briefly at the man before continuing. "Because they didn't give me a choice. I had to make sure you stayed here long enough for them to find you."
Alexander swore under his breath, his suspicion confirmed. "You were part of this from the beginning."
The woman nodded, her expression pained. "But it wasn't supposed to happen this way. I didn't think they'd—" She stopped, her eyes shifting to the man beside her, fear flickering across her face.
"That's enough," the man snapped, grabbing her arm and pulling her back. "You've said too much."
Isabella's mind raced, the pieces of the puzzle slowly falling into place. This woman—whoever she was—had been forced to lure them into this trap. But why? And why did her voice sound so much like Eliza's?
Before she could ask, the man's patience ran out. He pulled his gun from its holster, pointing it directly at Alexander.
"Last chance," he growled. "Give me the documents, or I'll kill you both right now."
Isabella's heart pounded in her chest. This was it. They were out of time.
But then, in the silence that followed, the voice returned.
Isabella…
Her blood ran cold. It wasn't coming from the woman this time. It was coming from somewhere deeper, somewhere far more terrifying.
Alexander's eyes widened as he heard it too. He tightened his grip on the rifle, his gaze darting around the room, searching for the source.
The man in the dark coat looked confused, his eyes narrowing. "What…?"
The voice grew louder, more insistent, echoing off the walls of the cabin. The woman's face turned ashen, and she stepped back, her hand covering her mouth in horror.
"No," she whispered, shaking her head. "Not now. Not here."
Isabella barely registered her words as the voice pierced through her mind again, louder, clearer.
Isabella… come out. It's time.
In that moment, the room seemed to shift, the shadows deepening, swallowing the light. Something ancient, something far beyond the man's threats or the documents they were fighting over, had come for her.
And there was no escaping it now.