Seven

ISOLDE POV

What the hell was that? My hand stayed pressed to my chest as I stared outside, trying to catch my breath. Where had all those birds come from? My heart still thumped like it was trying to escape my ribs.

I shook my head, forcing myself to focus. I step back into the house carefully, my eyes scanning every corner.

The first thing that caught me was the chandelier hanging in the main hall. It was Enormous. Crystal pieces fractured the dim light into tiny rainbows. Dust clung stubbornly to its edges, like it hadn’t been cleaned in years.

On the far wall, a painting caught my attention making me stop. A white wolf stood beneath a full moon, its eyes glowing faintly, almost eerily, in the muted light. It sent a chill down my spine and yet I couldn’t look away.

Then a sudden scream echoed from somewhere inside the house. I jumped, flinching, but shook it off…. it was probably just the old house settling. Dust filled my nose as I carefully skirted around a couch draped in white cloth, like a ghost frozen in time.

I wandered into the kitchen and froze. It was massive…granite countertops, dark wood cabinets, space enough to host a small army. And yet… it felt cold. Empty. Silent.

Curiosity pushed me upstairs. Seven bedrooms. Seven. I ran my hand along the polished railing, imagining the mansion in its prime, the secrets each room might hold.

Back downstairs, the house felt different. Shadows stretched in corners, wooden floors groaned under my feet, and the grandeur of the place was marred by peeling paint, dusty windows, and creaking doors.

I walked outside and dialed the number on the metal plate near the door, just like Cairos had said.

The phone rang… once… twice… three times… four…

“Welcome to Ravenmoor Helpdesk. How can I help you?” a cheerful voice answered.

“Hi… um, sorry. I need someone to help me fix a house and do some maintenance,” I said, trying to keep my voice polite.

“Where are you calling from?” the lady asked.

“Blackthorn… Blackthorn Lane,” I replied.

“Oh, stranger… it’s you!” she said, her voice bright.

“Excuse me?” I asked, confused.

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten me so soon… it’s me, Anna… the barista,” she said.

“Oh… yeah I remember.. how could I forget?” I said rolling my eyes “I thought you ran a diner,” I said slowly, confused.

“Yeah… I do, but I do a lot of things,” she replied with a laugh.

“Oh… okay,” I said cautiously, shaking my head not caring to know more. “Can I get someone to come down here?”

“Yeah, I’ll send someone in the next twenty to thirty minutes,” she said.

“Thank you,” I said, hanging up before she could ask any more questions.

Everything about her… about this town… even everyone here… still creeped me out.

I waited for about thirty minutes, glancing at the clock on the wall. Why the hell are they taking so long? I muttered under my breath.

Frustrated, I checked my phone. It was already 3 PM. My patience was wearing thin.

Then I heard a vehicle outside. I rushed to the window and saw a truck pulling up.

I stepped outside… and froze.

There he was. Cairos.

And three other boys were standing beside him. My heart skipped a beat. Why was he here? What does he want?

“Do you need anything?” I asked, trying to sound calm, though I clearly was not comfortable with him being around.. especially after what he did to Anna

“You called for a handyman,” he said simply. “And here I am.”

“You’re the…?” I started, looking from him to the young men. They looked barely sixteen, maybe fifteen.

“Do you have a problem?” he asked, eyes locked on mine, cold and sharp.

“Nah… just surprised,” I said, folding my arms. “I thought you were… I don’t know… a security guard or something.”

He ignored me completely.

“Could you show us what you need help with?” he asked, his tone clipped. No room for arguing.

I hesitated, then motioned toward the mansion. “Uh… yeah… everything. The house… It’s in bad shape. Needs cleaning, fixing… everything.”

He nodded. The three boys moved silently behind him, their eyes following me as I led the way inside.

I led them through the mansion, pointing out the things that needed fixing… peeling paint in the hallway, broken tiles in the kitchen, the chandelier that needed dusting and polishing.

Now and then, I couldn’t help but look at the boys trailing behind Cairos. They were so young… far too young for this kind of work, for a life that had already been so hard. Seeing children forced to face this kind of struggle made my chest tighten. I could never hire kids .. I simply couldn’t bear to watch them endure so much pain.

Finally, I stopped, my stomach tightening.

“Before we go on…” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “…I’m not really okay with this.” I gestured toward the boys.

“What…?” Cairos asked, his brow furrowed, confused.

“I mean… I’m not one of those people who make a minor work. I can’t… I just can’t allow this,” I said firmly, my eyes fixed on them again.

He looked at me, expression unreadable for a moment, then a small smile flickered across his lips… quickly gone.

“They’re not minors,” he said finally.

“What?” I asked, confused.

“They’re not minors. This is Caleb, Dylan, Ethan… Caleb is twenty-five, Dylan is twenty-four, and Ethan, the youngest is twenty-one. So no need to worry,” he said calmly.

I froze, staring at them. My mind refused to process it. How could they look that young…?

“You might want to close your mouth now,” Cairos said suddenly, stepping closer.

Before I could react, his hand moved up, covering my mouth.

I froze, my eyes wide.

“You’ll catch flies if you keep it open,” he murmured, almost teasing… but the dangerous edge in his voice made my chest tighten.

I swallowed hard, nodding, too stunned to speak.