Days passed, and I kept my distance. I avoided the key players of the story—Reynard, Ilya, Dain, and the others. It wasn't difficult. Most of them were too wrapped up in their own narratives to notice me. Their paths were already set, and I had no intention of becoming a part of them.
The library became my refuge. It was the one place where I could escape the undercurrents of fate pulling at me. I didn't need to interact with anyone or be part of the drama. Just the quiet rustle of pages, the faint smell of dust, and the steady rhythm of my own thoughts.
But fate, it seemed, had other plans.
It was late one evening when I found myself in the library once again. The moonlight filtered through the tall windows, casting long shadows over the rows of bookshelves. I was absorbed in a book on defensive magic, when I heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps behind me.
I didn't need to look up to know who it was. Reynard Vale.
"Kael," he said, his voice sharp.
I didn't respond immediately, letting the silence stretch. I didn't care to engage with him, but I knew he wouldn't leave until I did.
I closed the book I was reading and set it aside. "What do you want?"
His gaze was cold, but there was something behind it—an edge of curiosity. "You've been avoiding me."
I met his eyes, my expression unreadable. "I've been avoiding everyone."
"Why?" he pressed, his voice carrying the faintest trace of frustration. "Why aren't you like the others? Why do you stay so… detached?"
I leaned back slightly, observing him with a calm, almost detached gaze. "I'm not part of your story," I replied simply. "I'm not interested in becoming entangled in your world."
Reynard didn't seem satisfied with my answer. His eyes narrowed, a flicker of something—doubt, perhaps—passing through them. "You think you can just stay out of it? Stay out of everything?"
I didn't flinch. "I don't need to be involved," I said flatly. "I'm here to survive. Nothing more."
Reynard studied me for a moment, his lips pressing into a thin line. He wasn't used to being dismissed, I could tell. Most people would have tried to argue, to push back. But I didn't play their games.
Finally, he spoke, his voice quieter now, as though weighing his next words carefully. "I think you're hiding something. You know more than you let on."
I raised an eyebrow, my voice unwavering. "I'm not hiding anything. I'm simply not interested."
There was a pause, then Reynard gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. "Stay out of my way, Kael. But remember—fate doesn't allow people to stay hidden forever."
With that, he turned and left, his footsteps echoing in the quiet of the library.
I didn't move. Didn't react.
Fate was a game I had no intention of playing. But it seemed the world had other ideas.