Lennox had hoped that the rest of the day would be uneventful. After all, surviving the Grove of Echoes and navigating Elara's teasing was enough excitement for one week. Unfortunately, the universe seemed determined to keep him on his toes.
He was sitting at the table, staring at the Key of Whispers, when a loud knock echoed through the house. The black cat, curled up on the windowsill, cracked one eye open, clearly uninterested.
"Who is it now?" Lennox muttered, pushing his chair back and trudging to the door.
When he opened it, a boy about his age barged in without waiting for an invitation. His clothes, though simple, were neat and clean, and his brown hair was combed back with almost military precision. He carried himself with a confidence that bordered on arrogance, and the smirk on his face told Lennox this visit wasn't going to be pleasant.
"Lennox," the boy drawled, crossing his arms. "Heard you've been busy."
"Hello to you too, Marcus," Lennox said flatly, shutting the door behind him. "What do you want?"
Marcus was the son of a wealthy merchant, and he never let anyone forget it. While he wasn't technically a noble, he acted as if he were, looking down on anyone who didn't meet his lofty standards. Lennox had avoided him as much as possible, but apparently, today wasn't his lucky day.
"I heard a fascinating little rumor," Marcus said, pacing around the room like he owned the place. "Something about you going to the Grove of Echoes and coming back with a magical artifact."
Lennox's stomach tightened. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't play dumb," Marcus said, his smirk widening. "Half the village is buzzing about it. A 'Key of Whispers,' wasn't it?"
Lennox forced a laugh. "People will believe anything. I went for a walk, found some shiny rocks, and suddenly everyone thinks I'm an adventurer."
Marcus raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "If that's true, you won't mind showing me those shiny rocks, will you?"
Lennox hesitated, trying to come up with a believable excuse. Before he could respond, the cat leapt down from the windowsill and landed on the table beside the key. It sat down, its tail curling neatly around its paws, and stared at Marcus with unblinking eyes.
Marcus froze, his smirk faltering. "What's with the cat?"
"Nothing," Lennox said quickly, stepping between Marcus and the table. "It's just… my beast. From the ceremony."
Marcus snorted. "That's your beast? A cat? I thought you were joking."
The cat, seemingly offended, stood and stretched, arching its back. Its claws extended slightly, catching the light. For a moment, it looked almost… menacing.
Marcus took a step back. "Weird cat," he muttered, rubbing his neck. "Anyway, if you're hiding something, Lennox, it'll come out sooner or later. People talk."
"Thanks for the advice," Lennox said, opening the door. "Now, if you don't mind, I have things to do."
Marcus hesitated, glancing at the cat one more time before walking out. "Watch yourself, Lennox," he said over his shoulder. "Some people might not take kindly to you keeping secrets."
As the door closed, Lennox leaned against it, letting out a shaky breath. "Great. Now he's suspicious."
The cat meowed, hopping off the table and brushing against his leg. Lennox looked down at it, frowning. "You're not helping, you know."
The cat blinked up at him innocently, then padded over to the windowsill and jumped back up.
The rest of the afternoon passed in relative peace. Lennox avoided going into the village, instead focusing on tidying his house and trying (and failing) to figure out what the Key of Whispers actually did. Every so often, he'd glance at the cat, who seemed content to nap and occasionally knock things off the table just to spite him.
As the sun began to set, there was another knock at the door. This time, it was soft and hesitant. Lennox opened it to find Elara standing there, her expression unreadable.
"Elara? What's wrong?"
She stepped inside, closing the door behind her. "I just ran into Marcus."
Lennox groaned. "What did he say?"
"He's asking a lot of questions," she said, sitting down at the table. "About the key. About you."
"Of course he is," Lennox muttered, pacing. "Marcus loves sticking his nose where it doesn't belong."
Elara leaned forward, her tone serious. "You need to be careful, Lennox. Marcus isn't just nosy—he's dangerous. His family has influence, and if he thinks you're hiding something valuable…"
"I know," Lennox said, running a hand through his hair. "I just—ugh, this is all getting out of hand."
Elara reached out, grabbing his hand. "You're not alone in this, okay? We'll figure it out."
Lennox nodded, his heart lifting slightly at her words. The moment was interrupted by the cat, who jumped onto the table and sat between them, flicking its tail as if annoyed by the conversation.
Elara chuckled. "Your cat really has an attitude."
"You don't say," Lennox muttered. "It's basically running the show at this point."
The cat purred softly, its eyes gleaming with mischief. Lennox sighed, knowing deep down that things were only going to get more complicated.