Lena's POV
The morning sun was shining immensely through the window, it casted a golden glow on the floor of my apartment.
I should have been at ease by it. but all I could feel was the intense pain pounding in my head. I found myself lying on the couch, still wrapped in the blanket I was holding last night.
My body was sore, like I'd been in a fight I didn't remember.
I immediately remembered the events of the previous night— the men who had attacked me, the things they had said about the mark on my wrist, and the sudden appearance of Seraphina Moon.
I was still trying to figure out exactly what she had said. She called me "the key," but to what? And even the prophecy.
What was it, and how was I tied to it? And Asher… My thoughts kept drifting back to him. The way he changed, his eyes glowed with something Ancient and powerful.
But something else still could not leave my mind, a feeling I couldn't quite shake. I could still feel the pain of their hands on me, the way I had been beaten without mercy.
What was even more worse was the irritating feelings deep inside me, the feeling that something was wrong.
My head felt dizzy, as if my thoughts were slipping through my fingers, and no matter how hard I tried to catch them, they would not stay.
I tried to sit up slowly, removing the blanket off my legs, and tried to steady my breathing. The floor under me felt too hard.
But just as I was about to get up, I heard a loud bang on my door.I stood completely still, my heart racing,unable to move or speak.
Who could it be? I whispered. I didn't want to answer, hoping it will eventually go away,
The knock came again, louder this time.
"Lena?" The voice on the door was familiar—Tobin's voice.
I sighed in relief, my shoulders sinking down as I realized I was not about to face more danger than I already faced. Tobin was one of the few people who knew the real me.
He has been my best friend since childhood. Always the one person that was there when I needed someone to talk to, and I trusted him more than anyone.
I tried to reach for the door, as I tried to shake off the sleepiness that clung to me.
When I opened it, Tobin stood there, his dark eyes filled with concern.
"Lena, what happened?" he asked in a serious tone, his voice sounding worried. "I tried calling you all night. But you did not answer."
I stepped back in order to let him come inside,not sure how to explain. There was so much that I could not tell him.
The supernatural attacks, the witch, the strange connection I had with Asher. How could I even begin to explain?
"I'm fine, Tobin," I said, forming a weak smile, even though I could still feel my heart beating immensely."I just… had a bad night. Nothing to worry about."
But Tobin was too smart to believe that. He didn't buy it. He never did when it came to me.
"You're lying," he said, "You look like you've been through hell. What happened? And where's the dog?"
I hesitated for a moment. Asher. Fuck… I had forgotten He was here last night. fighting off the men who attacked me, but now there was no sign of him.
My heart raced, my hands trembling as I bit my lip, unable to shake off the knot of anxiety that gripped me.
"I….. I stopped, realizing I could not yet give him the explanation he wanted, not now.
Tobin paced around the room,looking all around. "Look, I get that you don't want to talk about it, but something is not right.
You've been acting strange lately, Lena. Your emotions— it's like you're in another world sometimes, like you're not even here."
"I'm here," I responded quickly, but I could barely even hear my own voice.
Tobin raised his eyebrows in suspicion. "You're not. Something's going on, and I'm not stupid enough to think it's just your imagination."
I opened my mouth to try to persuade him that there was nothing to worry about, but before I could even say a word, a sudden sharp pain shot through my wrist.
It hit me suddenly, like a shock of electricity running through my veins. I gasped and grabbed my arm, my teeth squeezing in pain as it grew stronger.
it felt like something was pulling me from inside, like the mark on my wrist was alive, trying to send me a message.
Tobin came closer to me, his face full of concern. "Lena, what's going on? What is that?"
How could I explain it. The mark—why did it feel like it was alive? A feeling I could not shake off dwelled in my chest, like something important was happening that I did not yet understand.
Then it hit me. These were not my own emotions anymore. I could feel his....his pain.
Asher.
The thought of it gnawed at me. I wasn't just connected to him; I was feeling everything he was going through. His pain, his fights, his struggles.
It was all inside me, like I was living inside him. It took over my whole body, like nothing I have ever experienced before.
Tobin's voice brought me back from my thoughts. "Lena, please, what's happening?"
I opened my mouth to respond to him again, but before I could say anything, I saw a shadow move past the window.
A cold voice cutting through the silence as it called my name.
"I've been looking for you, Lena."
The door pushed open, and a tall man stepped into the room. He had a commanding presence, and those dark eyes that looked like it was seeing right through me.
"I know your value," he said, his voice cold. "And I've come to collect a share of it, doll".
His eyes got locked onto mine, calculating, like he could see right through my defenses. His lips formed into a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"I'm Darius Nightshade," he said, his voice sounding casual, like we had known each other a long time. "I'm sure you've heard of me."
He came closer to me,my chest felt as if it was pounding against my ribs, each thump echoing in my ears as I tried to hold my breath.
"Where is Asher?" he asked, his eyes never leaving mine.
I could not trust him. Something about the way he spoke made me nervous, like he already knows too much. I raised my chin, keeping my voice steady. "I don't know where he is."
But that was the truth.I had not seen him since last night. But I would not tell him that cause I didn't trust him or his intentions.
Darius took another closer to me, his shoes making a faint sound on the wooden floor. The air between the both of us filled with tension, and I began to step back, not even realizing that there was nowhere to go.
His eyes tracked my every move, like he was loving the fear he saw in my eyes.
"You're lying," he said softly, almost amused. His smirk is intense but carries nothing funny about it.
My body became rigid, as if I was bracing myself for something unexpected."I'm not lying," I shot back, but I couldn't quite place if I was trying to convince myself or him.
He shook his head slightly, studying me as if I was a mystery he was determined to solve. "You're looking for him too, aren't you?"
His voice was evil, gentle, but his eyes were filled with nothing but bad intentions, it was very clear as it pierced through mine.
I didn't answer. My hands folding inti fists at my side, my heart sounding like a drum, overwhelming, like a concert inside me.!
I had to stay strong, I could not admit that I was as lost as he was. That we were both equally desperate to find Asher.
"You can stop pretending you don't know," Darius continued, his voice low. "I know you're connected to him, whether you agree to it or not.
"His eyes never left mine for a second, like he was trying to see every little bit of doubt in me with his words.
"I don't know where Asher is," I repeated, sounding very sure this time. I could never trust him.not ever.
Darius stood, watching me for a moment longer, the silence very long between us. He finally took a step back, his expression carrying with it something unreadable.
He didn't believe me, I could tell. But for now, he just wanted to let me soak in my little lie.
"I'll find him," he said softly, his eyes locked onto mine one last time. "And when I do, we'll talk again. But know this, Lena, you can never keep secrets from Darius forever."
The words clung to me, dark and threatening. And with that, he turned and walked toward the door.
His presence still left an evil mark after he left.