The tension from the morning's attack lingered as the estate settled into a fragile semblance of normalcy. The guards doubled their patrols, and whispers of the mysterious assailants spread like wildfire through the halls. Leon's mind kept drifting back to the masked figure, his eyes haunted by the eerie familiarity.
Atlas returned by midday, his expression severe. He had barely set foot inside before Leon approached him, the urgency palpable.
"Atlas," Leon said, his voice tight with worry. "There was an attack this morning."
Atlas's eyes sharpened, the warmth that usually softened their deep blue hue replaced by a cold, unyielding focus. "Are you hurt?"
"No," Leon assured him, though the concern in Atlas's voice made his heart clench. "But something was off about one of them. I felt like I knew him—or rather, he knew me."
Atlas's jaw tensed. He stepped closer, searching Leon's eyes for answers. "Can you describe him?"
Leon hesitated, recalling the brief encounter. "Tall, dark eyes, and the way he moved... it was deliberate, like he was looking for something—or someone."
A shadow passed over Atlas's features, but he said nothing for a moment. Instead, he reached out, pulling Leon into a sudden, fierce embrace. The weight of the gesture made Leon realize how worried Atlas must have been, even if he didn't show it.
"I won't let anything happen to you," Atlas murmured, his voice a mix of steel and tenderness.
Leon felt the warmth of Atlas's words seep into him, easing the residual chill from the morning. But before he could respond, Edwin appeared in the doorway, eyes narrowed and expression unreadable.
"We need to talk," Edwin said, glancing between them. His tone left no room for argument.
They moved to the study, where the scent of old parchment and ink filled the room. Edwin crossed his arms as Atlas took a seat beside Leon.
"I did some digging after the attack," Edwin began, his gaze sharp. "One of the masked intruders matches the description of a known informant for the Fleur Empire."
Leon's heart dropped. The Empire—the same place Atlas's mother had fled from, the place that would stop at nothing to claim its rightful heir.
"That means they're not just after the estate," Atlas said, his voice clipped. "They're after us. Specifically, me."
Edwin nodded, his expression darkening. "It's more than that. They know about Leon."
Silence fell over the room, heavy and suffocating. Leon's pulse quickened as he exchanged a glance with Atlas. For so long, he had been in the shadow of this looming secret, but now it was beginning to unravel before them.
"If they know about Leon's connection to you," Edwin continued, "then it won't be long before they make another move."
Atlas's fists clenched, the tension rolling off him like a storm. "Then we need to prepare for their next step. They won't get a second chance to catch us off-guard."
Leon looked at both men, the realization settling in his chest like a stone. Whatever came next, he knew that their lives were about to change irrevocably—and that their bond would be tested in ways they hadn't yet imagined.