177: Shadows of Doubt 177: Shadows of Doubt The night was heavy with silence, broken only by the distant hum of the city.
Axel crouched low on a rooftop of one house, his figure hidden beneath the shroud of darkness.
He wore a black tactical jacket that blended seamlessly with the shadows, the high collar framing his sharp jawline.
The cold air stirred his dark hair as his focused eyes remained locked on the building ahead.
Every muscle in his body was tense, prid for action, but his patience was unwavering.
His hand rested lightly on the hilt of the dagger at his hip, a glint of silver reflecting from its edge.
The building below was quiet—too quiet—but Axel’s instincts scread that sothing was about to happen.
A subtle shift in the shadows behind him made his fingers tighten on the dagger.
Without turning, his voice cut through the silence.
“What are you doing here?” A soft chuckle followed, light and amused.
“Impressive.
You noticed .” Axel finally turned his head slightly, just enough to glance at the figure stepping from the shadows.
Thalia erged, her hair tied in a low ponytail, the sharp curve of her smirk catching in the moonlight.
Her dark combat gear hugged her slender fra, making her a ghost in the night.
“Please, Thalia,” Axel sighed, his voice edged with irritation, “answer my question.
It’s only polite.” Thalia’s smirk widened before she raised her hands in mock surrender.
“Fine.
The manager sent .
I’m here to back you up.” Axel’s jaw clenched.
“I don’t need backup.
I’m about to finish.” “Tell that to the manager,” Thalia replied with a shrug, her amber eyes glinting mischievously.
“But, hey, I didn’t co empty-handed.
I figured you might want to hear what I found out.” Axel’s brow furrowed.
“What now?” Thalia leaned casually against the railing, spinning a dagger between her fingers.
“I t your girl friend.” For a mont, Axel froze.
“What did you say?” His voice ca out lower, sharper.
Thalia chuckled, clearly enjoying the reaction.
“I said, I t your girl.
Raelynn, right?
Pretty thing.
I ran into her at the library.
She was asking about you—worried since you were ‘sick.’ She looked genuinely upset, by the way.
Sweet, really.” Axel’s throat felt dry, a lump of emotion he hadn’t expected tightening there.
“She… she was worried?” Thalia twirled the dagger faster.
“Oh, yeah.
But that’s not the fun part.” She straightened, her smirk faltering into sothing more serious.
“After the library, she went to a nearby café.
I followed.” Axel’s brows pulled tighter together.
“And?” “She wasn’t alone,” Thalia answered smoothly.
“She was with so guy—not Elion Vaelorian, though.
Soone else.
I didn’t recognize him, but they seed close.
I an, the way they talked?
She’s got quite a circle of n around her.” Axel’s fists balled at his sides.
The thought of Raelynn with another man twisted sothing ugly in his chest.
He hated the feeling.
This feeling wasn’t sothing he dealt with often—it was foreign and unwelco.
“You’re sure?” he bit out.
Thalia tilted her head, watching him with keen eyes.
“Would I lie to you, my brother?
I’m just reporting what I saw.” Axel ground his teeth, his mind racing.
Raelynn’s sweet concern for him only hours ago now clashed against the image of her sharing ti with another man.
It wasn’t right.
It didn’t make sense.
Axel inhaled sharply, trying to steady the storm brewing in his chest.
He liked hearing that Raelynn hadn’t co with him—with that bastard, Elion.
That was a relief, at least.
But this man she had co with—who was he?
Maybe just a friend.
That was logical.
She had to have colleagues or male friends.
He wasn’t naïve enough to think she wouldn’t.
So why the hell do I care?
His fists clenched tighter, nails digging into his palms as he forced himself to take a step back—ntally, at least.
She can co with anyone she wants.
It has nothing to do with .
And yet, the thought didn’t sit well with him.
Thalia watched him closely.
He could feel her eyes studying his reaction, like she was piecing together a puzzle she already had half the answers to.
“You seem… tense,” she remarked, her voice light but sharp at the edges.
Axel scoffed, rolling his shoulders back as if to physically shake off the weight pressing on him.
“I’m fine,” he muttered.
I don’t have ti for this.
Axel pushed the unwanted thoughts aside, forcing himself to focus.
His gaze remained locked on the building he’d been watching since earlier, its dimly lit windows offering no clear view of what was happening inside.
His shoulders remained tense, but not because of Thalia’s prying words.
He couldn’t afford distractions right now—not when he was this close to getting the answers he needed.
Still, Raelynn’s na echoed in his mind like an annoying whisper, one he couldn’t quite shut out.
He exhaled sharply, jaw tightening Thalia’s voice broke through his storming thoughts.
“So?
What’s your take?” Axel didn’t answer.
Instead, he turned on his heel, stepping away from the edge of the rooftop.
“We’re going back.
Now.” Thalia blinked, clearly surprised.
“Oh, really?
But we haven’t finished the job yet,” she teased, her smile back in full force.
Axel had barely taken two steps when movent caught his eye.
Across the street, the building they had been watching ca alive with chaos.
The front doors burst open, and a group of n spilled out into the night—so walking briskly, others nearly stumbling over themselves.
Thalia let out a low whistle.
“Well, well.
Looks like we stayed just long enough.” His sharp eyes scanned the group, noting the tension in their movents.
And then, a scream, but Axel didn’t seem to care.
Thalia wasn’t done.
Her voice lost its playful tone as she added, “Besides, I haven’t heard your thoughts on my report.” That stopped him for a beat—but he didn’t turn.
His shoulders squared before he strode off into the darkness.
A beat of silence followed before, from the building Axel had been watching, a loud, chilling scream echoed into the night.
Thalia’s grin faded, her eyes narrowing as she followed Axel’s path.
“See?
I knew it,” she muttered before leaping into the shadows after him.
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