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The guard's words hung in the air like a thick fog, and for a moment, neither Nelson nor Felicia spoke. The tension in the room felt palpable, and Felicia's mind raced, trying to make sense of it all.
A body drained of life, with an ancient symbol carved into its chest—it was something out of a dark legend, not reality. But here it was, creeping into their world.
Nelson stood, his movements sharp and controlled as he adjusted his jacket, the pain from his injuries clearly secondary to the gravity of the news. "Show me," he commanded, his voice hard, leaving no room for argument.
Felicia rose to follow, but Nelson held up a hand. "No," he said firmly, turning to her. His eyes softened slightly, though the intensity didn't leave his face. "You need rest. I'll handle this."
She wanted to protest, to insist that whatever affected him affected her as well. But the exhaustion weighing on her limbs was undeniable. She nodded reluctantly, her fingers brushing his arm as he passed. "Be careful," she whispered, the words laden with more emotion than she intended.
Nelson's gaze lingered on her for a moment, his expression unreadable, before he turned and left with the guard.
The door closed behind him with a soft click, and Felicia was left alone in the dimly lit room, the weight of everything that had happened pressing down on her.
Her mind drifted back to the woods, to the figure that had vanished into the shadows.
It wasn't just the dark presence of the thing that unsettled her; it was the way it seemed to know them, the way it had spoken with such quiet authority, as if it had always been a part of their lives, lurking in the background.
But that wasn't real, she reminded herself. She had to stay grounded. The bloodshed, the conflict with Ryker, the brutal realities of their world—that was what mattered now. She couldn't allow her thoughts to spiral into superstition or fear.
Still, her fingers unconsciously traced the pattern of the necklace around her throat—Nelson's gift to her, a symbol of their strange, evolving relationship.
Once, she had worn it with resentment, a reminder of the life she had been forced into. But now, it felt like an anchor, a bond between them that had grown stronger with time, despite all the odds.
She didn't have long to reflect. A soft knock on the door stirred her from her thoughts, and a maid entered, bowing her head as she approached. "Lady Felicia, I've prepared a bath for you. You must be exhausted after the journey."
Felicia smiled weakly. "Thank you, Maria. I appreciate it." The idea of sinking into a warm bath was appealing, but her mind kept returning to Nelson, to whatever grim discovery awaited him in the forest.
As the maid helped her undress and settle into the tub, Felicia closed her eyes, trying to relax. The warm water soothed her aching muscles, and for a few moments, she let herself drift, her mind going blissfully blank. But the quiet never lasted long.
Suddenly, the door to her chambers opened again, this time with more urgency. Felicia sat upright, water dripping from her skin, as Nelson stepped inside. His face was set in a grim line, his usual composure barely masking the tension coiling through him.
"What is it?" she asked immediately, her heart already pounding.
He didn't answer right away, his eyes scanning the room before they finally landed on her. "We found something," he said, his voice low. He looked exhausted but determined, his jaw tight. "It's worse than we thought."
Felicia stood, wrapping a robe around herself as she approached him, water still clinging to her skin. "Tell me."
Nelson exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "The body… it's not just one of Ryker's men. It's someone who was close to him—someone high-ranking." He paused, his expression dark. "The symbol carved into his chest... it's something old, something connected to a forgotten sect that once ruled these lands."
Felicia's eyes widened. "A sect? What does that have to do with us? With Ryker?"
Nelson's lips pressed into a thin line. "That's the part I'm trying to figure out. But this isn't just some random attack. Whoever—whatever—is behind this has a deep history with our world. This is personal."
Felicia felt the weight of his words settle over her like a suffocating blanket. Personal. A strange, creeping dread filled her chest, making it harder to breathe. She reached out and took Nelson's hand, grounding herself in the touch of his warm skin.
"We've been through worse," she said quietly, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her insides. "We'll figure this out, like we always do."
Nelson's gaze softened for a moment, the steel in his eyes melting as he looked at her.
He nodded, squeezing her hand before releasing it. "I know we will," he murmured, his voice lower, more vulnerable. "But there's something else."
Felicia tilted her head, her brow furrowing. "What is it?"
Nelson hesitated, the tension in his body palpable. He took a step closer to her, his eyes locked on hers. "The guard... he wasn't entirely drained of life when we found him. He had just enough strength to say something before he died."
Felicia's breath caught in her throat, a sinking feeling gripping her stomach. "What did he say?"
Nelson's voice was barely above a whisper now. "He said, 'She's the key. Protect her.'"
Felicia felt the blood drain from her face as the words hit her like a punch to the gut. "Me?" she breathed, her heart pounding in her ears. "Why me?"
Nelson shook his head, his expression hardening once more. "I don't know. But whatever's coming, it's after you. And I'm not going to let it get to you, not as long as I'm alive."
The weight of the moment hung heavy between them, the air thick with tension.
Felicia's mind spun, trying to make sense of it all. Why her? What did she have to do with this ancient sect, with the darkness that seemed to be closing in around them?
Before she could ask more, there was another knock on the door, sharp and insistent. Nelson turned, his face a mask of frustration and impatience. "What is it now?" he growled.
The door creaked open, and one of the palace's scouts stepped inside, his face pale and shaken. "Your Majesty," the scout stammered, his voice trembling. "We've just received word from our men in Timma. Ryker's army has pulled back."
Nelson frowned. "They're retreating?"
The scout swallowed hard. "Not exactly, sir. They've pulled back, but not to regroup." He paused, his voice dropping to a whisper. "They're dead. All of them. Something wiped them out. And it's heading this way."
Felicia's heart skipped a beat, her pulse racing as her eyes met Nelson's.
The danger wasn't coming.
It was already here….