Rose's breath caught as she stared at the text on Lucas's phone. The cryptic message wasn't just a warning—it was a command, and it sent chills down her spine.
"What does it mean?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Who's trying to stop you from telling me the truth?"
Lucas set his phone down, his expression unreadable. "That's the problem, Rose. In this world, you never know who's pulling the strings. Everyone plays their part, but there's always someone watching, waiting to interfere."
Rose gripped her notebook tighter, her heart pounding. "But I'm not even part of this world, am I? So why am I here?"
Lucas's gaze softened, a rare flicker of empathy crossing his face. "You're here because Sylus made a choice. He keeps you close because he—"
He stopped abruptly, glancing around the bar. His body tensed.
"What is it?" Rose whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Trouble," Lucas muttered. He leaned closer, his voice low. "We're being watched. Act normal."
Rose froze, her mind racing. She tried to follow his advice, but her hands shook as she picked up her glass of water. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a figure near the bar, their face hidden beneath a dark hood.
"Who are they?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lucas didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reached across the table and placed a hand over hers. "Listen to me, Rose. You need to leave—now. Go back to your apartment, lock the doors, and don't talk to anyone. Not until Sylus gets to you."
"But—"
"No buts," Lucas interrupted, his tone firm. "This isn't the time for questions. Trust me on this."
---
Rose's Apartment:
Back in her apartment, Rose paced the floor, her thoughts a chaotic whirlwind. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was closing in on her, something bigger than she could understand.
Her notebook lay open on the coffee table, the words she had written earlier staring back at her:
"What happens when it's time to leave?"
She glanced at her phone, debating whether to call Sylus. Her thumb hovered over his name in her contacts, but her hesitation stopped her. She couldn't bring herself to tell him about the meeting with Lucas or the cryptic warnings she had received.
Instead, she texted him:
"Are you okay? I need to see you."
The reply came almost instantly:
"Stay where you are, kitten. I'm on my way."
Rose's heart both calmed and quickened at his response. Sylus always had a way of reassuring her, even when she knew she was in over her head.
---
Meanwhile, Sylus:
Sylus drove through the city streets, his jaw clenched. The moment Lucas had sent him a message about the meeting, he knew things were escalating faster than he had anticipated.
He couldn't afford to lose Rose—not now, not when she was becoming the only anchor in a life filled with chaos. But keeping her close came with risks, risks he knew all too well.
"Why can't you just let her go?" Lucas's earlier words echoed in his mind.
Sylus shook his head. Letting Rose go wasn't an option—not anymore.
---
The Confrontation:
When Sylus arrived at Rose's apartment, she was waiting by the door, her notebook clutched to her chest. The sight of him brought her a wave of relief, but the intensity in his eyes unsettled her.
"What's going on, Sylus?" she demanded. "Lucas told me to leave, that I'm being watched. And then there's the note—was it really from you?"
Sylus stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "No," he said simply. "The note wasn't from me."
"Then who sent it?" Rose asked, her voice rising.
"I don't know," Sylus admitted, his tone dark. "But whoever it is, they want you gone."
Rose's grip on her notebook tightened. "Then maybe I should leave. Maybe they're right—I don't belong here."
Sylus moved closer, his expression unreadable. "You think leaving will keep you safe? That's not how this works, kitten. You're already in too deep."
"But why?" Rose asked, her voice breaking. "Why did you pull me into this world if it wasn't meant for me?"
For a moment, Sylus didn't answer. He simply looked at her, his gaze intense and unwavering. Then he said softly, "Because I couldn't let you go. And now, neither can they."
---