Raelynn stared at Elion, her brow furrowing in frustration. "I've been looking for that book—the vampire one. You know the one I an, right?" Her tone was sharper than usual, her patience worn thin by the hours spent searching the sprawling mansion.
Elion's expression was unreadable, his piercing gaze eting hers. For a long mont, he said nothing, his silence stretching uncomfortably between them. Then, finally, he gave a small, almost reluctant nod.
Raelynn let out an exasperated breath, placing her hands on her hips. "We've looked everywhere, the entire mansion, and it's not here. I need to know—where did you put it last?"
His lips pressed into a thin line, and he seed to consider his words carefully. "Your bedroom," he said simply.
Raelynn blinked, confusion clouding her face. "My bedroom?" she repeated, tilting her head. "But it's not there. Hera and I searched every inch of that room. If you left it there, it's gone now."
Elion shrugged, his expression giving nothing away. "Well then, I don't know." His tone was calm, almost dismissive, as though the matter was of little importance to him.
Raelynn's frown deepened, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "You don't know?" she echoed incredulously. "How can you not know? You're the last person who had it."
Elion didn't respond. Instead, he stepped past her with the smooth, purposeful grace that was so uniquely his. She watched him, her lips parting as if to say more, but the words didn't co. Instead, she followed him, her footsteps hurried to keep up.
"Elion," she called after him, her voice a mixture of irritation and determination. "Are you sure? Maybe you took it sowhere—your study, or another room. You must have brought it sowhere else."
He stopped in his tracks, turning slightly to glance at her over his shoulder. His dark eyes glinted with sothing she couldn't quite place, but he said nothing. Instead, he continued walking toward his study, leaving her with no choice but to trail behind.
When they reached the heavy wooden door of his study, Elion stepped inside. The room was dimly lit, the rich scent of aged books and polished wood filling the air. Without a word, he closed the door behind him—and to Raelynn's surprise, she heard the soft click of the lock turning.
She stared at the closed door, her brows knitting together. "Elion?" she called, her voice muffled through the thick wood. But there was no answer.
Inside the study, Elion let out a slow breath. He walked toward his desk, his boots making a faint sound against the floor. The room was bathed in shadows, the only light coming from the faint embers in the fireplace.
He pulled out the chair at his desk and sat down, his movents deliberate and asured. Reaching forward, he unlocked a drawer with a small key he retrieved from his pocket. The drawer slid open with a soft creak, revealing the familiar black cover of the book Raelynn had been so desperate to find.
Elion's gaze lingered on the book for a mont, his expression unreadable. Slowly, he picked it up, running his fingers over the worn edges of the hardcover. His eyes darkened as he studied it, as though the book itself held secrets only he understood.
"She doesn't need to see this thing anymore," he muttered under his breath, his voice low and resolute.
Rising from his chair, he crossed the room to the fireplace. The flas crackled softly, casting flickering shadows against the walls. He knelt down, holding the book in one hand as he stoked the fire with the other. The embers flared to life, their warmth radiating outward.
For a mont, he hesitated, the book poised above the flas. His jaw tightened, his dark eyes narrowing as if waging so internal battle. Then, with a sharp exhale, he let it go.
The book landed in the heart of the fire, its pages curling and blackening almost instantly. The flas consud it hungrily, the vibrant red of the cover reduced to ash in a matter of monts.
Elion straightened, his gaze fixed on the fire as the last remnants of the book disintegrated. His face was unreadable, a mask of calm that betrayed nothing of his thoughts.
Outside the study, Raelynn stood by the door, her arms crossed. She had half a mind to knock again, but sothing stopped her. The way Elion had looked at her earlier, the way he had shrugged off her questions—it left her uneasy.
"What is he hiding?" she murmured to herself, her fingers absentmindedly toying with the hem of her sleeve.
Hera's footsteps echoed softly in the hallway, breaking Raelynn's train of thought. She glanced up just as Hera approached, her arms loosely folded and a faint smirk playing on her lips.
"There you are," Hera said, her tone casual but knowing as her eyes flicked to the closed study door. "Still hovering around his lair, huh?"
Raelynn shifted uncomfortably, dropping her gaze to the floor. "I just... I thought he might—"
Hera snorted softly, looping an arm through Raelynn's and gently tugging her away from the door. "Trust , just let it go for now."
Raelynn frowned but didn't resist as Hera led her down the corridor. "But what if—"
"Forget it," Hera cut her off, her voice firm but not unkind. "Let's just search again tomorrow. Or better yet, pretend you never cared in the first place. It'll save you the headache."
Raelynn let out a soft sigh, her feet moving automatically as Hera steered her away. She didn't respond, her gaze lingering on the study door as they walked. Sothing about Elion's deanor gnawed at her
Inside the study, Elion turned away from the fireplace, the flickering light casting long shadows across his sharp features.
He sat down once more, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers. The fire crackled behind him, the warmth doing little to ease the chill that settled over the room.
"So things are better left forgotten."
Reviews
All reviews (0)