Her voice was barely a whisper.
Yet in the silence, his na rang clear.
Beside her, Lena also stiffened.
Her gaze shifted from the n lying on the ground to the figure who had just taken them all down without effort.
Her eyes narrowed.
Alert.
Because she imdiately understood this was no ordinary man.
And clearly this was the man Valerie had feared all this ti.
anwhile, Demian stood there.
His breathing steady.
As if what he had just done ant nothing.
But slowly his gaze shifted. From the n on the ground to Valerie.
For the first ti since he appeared his expression changed.
No longer cold.
No longer filled with anger.
But sothing far deeper.
Sothing he had held back for so long.
And finally he was standing right in front of her.
No distance.
No shadows.
No barriers.
"Valerie."
Her na left Demian’s lips softly.
As if he needed to say it to make sure this was real.
The market no longer sounded like a market.
There was no laughter.
No bargaining voices.
What remained was a strange silence and the sound of held breaths, as if everyone feared making even the slightest noise.
At the center of it all, the bodies of the n who had caused the trouble lay scattered across the snow. So groaned, so tried to get up only to fall again. Wooden stalls lay shattered, fruits rolling and slowly freezing on the cold ground.
And among it all stood one figure.
Demian.
He did not look tired.
Nor did he look angry as before.
And that was exactly what made him more terrifying.
His gaze was no longer on the n he had struck down.
But on one person alone.
Valerie.
Just a few steps in front of him.
Valerie did not move.
Her body was rigid, her fingers trembling slightly. Her wrist still throbbed faintly, but the pain felt insignificant compared to what now stood before her.
Soone from her past.
Soone who had never truly disappeared.
"Demian..."
His na left her lips softly, almost like an unintentional whisper.
Yet it was enough to make the air around them feel even heavier.
Beside her, Lena moved imdiately.
Without hesitation, she stepped forward and positioned herself slightly in front of Valerie, placing herself between them like a barrier.
Her eyes locked sharply onto him.
She knew who he was.
She didn’t need to ask.
She didn’t need confirmation.
That aura alone was enough to explain everything.
"Stop right there."
Lena’s voice was low, cold, and filled with warning.
But Demian did not stop imdiately.
His steps slowed but did not completely halt.
His eyes never left Valerie.
As if the world around him no longer existed.
"Valerie."
He spoke her na again.
Clearer.
Deeper.
As if he wasn’t just calling her but making sure the woman before him was truly real.
Valerie took a step back.
A small movent.
But enough.
Enough to make sothing inside Demian stop.
He finally went still.
Completely still.
For the first ti since he arrived.
Lena did not lower her guard in the slightest.
"Don’t co any closer," she said firmly. "You’ve caused enough trouble already."
There was no reply.
But this ti, Demian did not move again.
His gaze remained on Valerie.
And for the first ti another emotion surfaced there.
Not anger.
Not violence.
But sothing deeper.
Quieter.
Valerie looked at him, her breathing still uneven.
There were so many things she wanted to say.
So many questions.
So much anger.
But what ca out instead was—
"What are you doing here...?"
Her voice was soft.
But filled with distance.
Demian did not answer imdiately.
A few seconds passed in silence.
The cold wind blew between them, carrying fine snow through the air.
"I ca to take you back."
Simple.
Direct.
Without hesitation.
The words made Valerie’s heart seem to stop for a mont.
Lena reacted instantly.
"Take her back?" she repeated sharply. "Do you think she’s sothing you can just claim and carry away?"
Her gaze grew colder.
She had disliked this man from the beginning.
And now she was certain her instincts were right.
Demian finally shifted his gaze.
Not to Valerie but to Lena.
For the first ti, he truly looked at her.
And though his expression barely changed, a faint tension appeared.
But only for a mont.
Because then he looked back at Valerie.
"Co ho."
The two words were quiet.
But they carried a weight that pressed heavily in the air.
Valerie shook her head slowly.
"I don’t have a ho to return to."
The answer ca without pause.
Without hesitation.
And without looking at him.
"My place is here."
Demian’s gaze sharpened.
"I wasn’t asking."
One step.
He moved closer.
By reflex, Valerie stepped back.
But before she could put more distance between them Demian’s hand had already reached out.
And pull.
Valerie’s wrist was caught again.
Stronger.
Colder.
Unlike the n before this wasn’t rough.
But that was exactly what made it impossible to escape.
As if there was no room to resist.
"Let go of !"
Valerie struggled.
She pulled her hand, trying to break free.
But his grip did not shift even the slightest.
Beside her, Lena reacted imdiately.
"Let her go. Now."
Her tone turned sharp.
Her hand lifted slightly her magic ready to be released at any mont.
But Demian didn’t even glance at her.
His focus was only on one person.
"Valerie, enough."
His voice was low.
But filled with pressure.
As if all the patience he had been holding onto was beginning to wear thin.
"I’ve been looking for you."
"That doesn’t an I have to go with you!" Valerie shot back.
Her breathing was uneven.
Her eyes were beginning to redden.
"I don’t want to go back!"
Those words triggered sothing instantly.
In one swift motion, Demian pulled her closer. The distance between them vanished in an instant.
"Your wishes don’t change anything."
His tone wasn’t loud.
But it was cold.
And absolute.
Lena didn’t stay still.
She stepped forward, trying to separate them but Valerie moved faster.
"Lena—!"
With her free hand, Valerie grabbed Lena.
Without thinking she chose.
Not to confront Demian directly.
But—
to run.
"Run!"
And they moved.
Suddenly.
Fast.
Valerie pulled Lena through the crowd, which broke apart in shock. People didn’t even have ti to react as the two won ran past, slipping through narrow, winding paths of the market.
Baskets fell.
Voices cried out in surprise.
But Valerie didn’t look back.
Didn’t stop.
Didn’t even think.
There was only one thing in her mind to get away.
As far as possible.
From him.
From that past.
From Demian.
For a few seconds silence.
As if the world was holding its breath.
Then Demian moved.
Fast.
Far faster.
His steps struck the snow with force, his body cutting through the crowd without hesitation. Those in his way barely had ti to turn before being pushed aside from his path.
His gaze was locked ahead.
On Valerie.
On the sa direction it had been from the very beginning.
Behind him, another set of footsteps followed.
Vedseel let out a long sigh before running after him.
"Honestly... this is getting troubleso..."
But he followed anyway. Because he knew Demian would not stop.
Ahead Valerie was starting to lose her breath.
The thick snow made every step heavy.
The narrow alley opened into a slightly wider path, the cold wind hitting her face rcilessly.
"He’s... still chasing..." Lena glanced back.
And sure enough in the distance he was still there.
Getting closer.
Not slowing down.
Not hesitating.
"Quick, that way!" Lena pointed toward a narrower path between wooden buildings.
They turned sharply.
But Demian was only seconds behind.
He saw everything.
Every turn.
Every step.
Every attempt to escape.
And that only made sothing inside him grow stronger.
More than just desire.
More than just anger.
A certainty.
That this ti he would not let her go again.
Snow scattered as his pace increased.
The distance between them shrank.
And Valerie’s breathing he could already hear it clearly.
"Valerie!"
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