Chapter 22

The ride home felt too quiet.

Eli sat in the back seat of the car, staring out the window.

Charlotte was beside him.

But neither of them spoke much.

Not after what happened.

Not after him.

Charlotte finally broke the silence.

“…Are you hurt?”

Eli blinked.

Then looked down at his arm.

A faint bruise forming.

“…Nothing serious.”

Charlotte frowned immediately.

“That is serious.”

Eli gave a small breath of a laugh.

“…Compared to what I thought would happen? This is fine.”

That didn’t reassure her.

She shifted closer slightly.

Careful.

“…You didn’t tell me this was your life,” she said quietly.

Eli didn’t answer immediately.

Because what was he supposed to say?

That he didn’t fully understand it either?

That it started with a forest?

With a man who appeared out of nowhere and never really left?

“…I didn’t know either,” he admitted finally.

Charlotte looked at him.

Really looked at him.

Then gently rested her hand over his.

“…Then we’ll figure it out.”

Eli glanced at their hands.

And nodded slightly.

“…Yeah.”

But even as he said it—

He didn’t believe it was that simple.

Meanwhile—

Somewhere far from the streetlights and normal roads—

Kieran stood in silence.

The three attackers were gone.

Handled.

Disposed of in a way that left no trace.

But his mind wasn’t there anymore.

It was on Eli.

Always Eli.

“…They’re moving faster than expected,” he murmured.

A shadow behind him stepped forward.

“You should’ve taken him.”

Kieran didn’t turn.

“No.”

The shadow paused.

“…You hesitated.”

That word—

Hesitated.

Kieran’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“…He was there.”

“That’s not an excuse.”

Silence followed.

Then Kieran spoke again.

Quieter.

Controlled.

“If I take him now, everything collapses.”

The shadow tilted its head.

“And if you don’t?”

Kieran finally turned slightly.

Just enough for his eyes to be seen.

Dark.

Focused.

Unstable in a way only someone who knew him well would notice.

“…Then they take him first.”

That made the shadow go quiet.

For the first time.

The next morning came too fast.

Eli woke up still tired.

But something felt off.

Not danger.

Not directly.

Just… awareness.

Like the world had shifted slightly overnight.

He got ready quickly.

His mother was already in the kitchen.

“Morning, sweetheart,” she said warmly.

Eli blinked slightly.

“…Morning.”

She smiled as she handed him food.

“You’re going out again today?”

Eli paused.

“…Yeah.”

Her eyes softened.

“Be careful, okay?”

Eli frowned slightly.

“…You too?”

She chuckled.

“I always mean it when I say it.”

His father walked in next.

“You look tired,” he said simply.

Eli shrugged.

“…Didn’t sleep much.”

His father studied him for a moment.

Then placed a hand briefly on his shoulder.

Not heavy.

Just… grounding.

“Don’t carry what isn’t yours alone.”

Eli froze slightly.

“…What does that mean?”

His father smiled faintly.

“Just advice.”

Eli stared at him for a second longer.

Then nodded slowly.

“…Okay.”

But something about that moment stayed with him longer than expected.

Later—

Eli met Charlotte again.

This time at a quieter place.

Less public.

Safer.

Or so it felt.

Charlotte sat across from him.

Watching him carefully.

“…You’ve been quiet,” she said.

Eli leaned back slightly.

“…Just thinking.”

“About yesterday?”

Eli didn’t answer immediately.

Then—

“…Yeah.”

Charlotte exhaled softly.

“…Do you think it’ll happen again?”

Eli hesitated.

“…I don’t know.”

That honesty made her look down slightly.

“…I don’t like that answer.”

Eli gave a faint smile.

“…Me neither.”

A pause.

Then Charlotte leaned forward slightly.

Lowering her voice.

“…And him?”

Eli knew who she meant.

“…Kieran.”

Charlotte nodded.

Eli sighed.

“…He’s… complicated.”

“That’s the third time you’ve said that.”

Eli rubbed his neck.

“…Because it’s true.”

Charlotte studied him.

“…Do you trust him?”

Eli hesitated.

Longer this time.

“…I don’t know if I have a choice.”

That made her go quiet.

Elsewhere—

Kieran stood outside a tall building.

This one was familiar.

Too familiar.

Eli’s parents lived here.

He didn’t enter immediately.

Just watched.

Then finally stepped inside.

The receptionist didn’t question him.

She never did.

He went straight up.

Eli’s parents opened the door before he even knocked.

His mother smiled immediately.

“Kieran.”

Warm.

Familiar.

Like this was normal.

His father nodded.

“You’re earlier than usual.”

Kieran stepped inside.

“…I had to check something.”

His mother tilted her head.

“Is it about Eli?”

A pause.

Then Kieran nodded.

“Yes.”

His father gestured toward the living room.

“Sit.”

They did.

All of them.

For a moment, it looked like a normal conversation.

Almost.

His mother spoke gently.

“He’s becoming more independent.”

Kieran’s gaze didn’t move.

“He’s becoming exposed.”

His father nodded slowly.

“That was expected.”

Kieran’s jaw tightened slightly.

“…Not this soon.”

Silence.

Then his mother leaned forward slightly.

“You’re worried.”

It wasn’t a question.

Kieran didn’t answer immediately.

Then—

“Yes.”

His father studied him carefully.

“…Do you still plan to tell him everything?”

That question hung in the room.

Heavy.

Kieran’s eyes lowered slightly.

“…Not yet.”

His mother sighed softly.

“He’s not ready.”

Kieran’s voice dropped.

“…He’s already being targeted.”

That changed the room’s energy instantly.

His father went still.

“…By who?”

Kieran didn’t answer fully.

Just—

“…People who remember things he doesn’t.”

Silence.

His mother closed her eyes briefly.

“…Then it’s starting earlier than expected.”

Kieran stood up.

“I’ll handle it.”

His father nodded.

“You always do.”

But his mother looked at him a little longer.

“…Just don’t lose him before he understands you.”

That line—

Made something flicker in Kieran’s expression.

Something unreadable.

Then—

He left.

That night—

Eli sat on his bed.

Phone in hand.

Charlotte had sent him a message.

Charlotte: Today felt calmer. I liked it.

Eli stared at it.

Then replied:

Eli: Yeah… me too.

He hesitated.

Then added:

Eli: I think things are getting worse though.

He stared at that message for a moment.

Then sent it.

A second later—

A reply came.

Charlotte: Then we face it together.

Eli exhaled slowly.

“…Together, huh.”

But even as he said it—

That feeling returned.

That strange pressure.

Like someone was near.

He turned his head slightly toward the window.

Nothing.

But he didn’t feel alone.

Not anymore.

Somewhere outside—

Kieran stood in the dark again.

Watching.

Quiet.

Unmoving.

“…Soon,” he murmured.

But this time—

It didn’t sound like a promise.

It sounded like restraint.