CHAPTER 36

Kael stood at the bottom of the staircase for a long moment, staring at the steps like they might answer the question fighting inside his head. Lucian and Aaron stayed quiet behind him. Neither of them tried to rush him again. They had already said enough. The rest was up to him.

Lucian finally spoke,

You’re still stalling.

Kael didn’t look back. “I’m thinking.”

Aaron leaned against the table, Thinking won’t change anything kael

Kael’s jaw tightened. “You don’t know it’s her.”

Lucian shrugged slightly. “Then prove it isn’t.”

Silence settled again.

Kael knew what they were asking him to do. He also knew why he didn’t want to do it. Because if they were right, the girl upstairs was not just another victim who had been dragged into his life.

She would be connected to the one place he had spent years trying to erase from his mind.

Kael exhaled slowly and finally started walking toward the stairs.

Lucian didn’t follow. Aaron didn’t either.

This part belonged to Kael alone.

The hallway upstairs was dim and quiet. The house had settled into that strange silence that came late at night when everyone else was asleep. Kael stopped outside Vera’s door. His hand rested on the handle, but he didn’t open it immediately.

For the first time since Aaron showed him that mark, doubt crept in.

What if it wasn’t her?

What if he was about to scare her for nothing?

He pushed the door open.

The room was softly lit by a lamp on the bedside table. Vera was awake, sitting against the headboard with the blanket pulled around her waist. Her hair was slightly messy like she had been running her hands through it. When she saw him step inside, her expression shifted from surprise to something more cautious.

You......you are back.”

Kael closed the door quietly behind him.

“Yes.”

She studied his face carefully. “Are you still angry?”

He walked further into the room but didn’t answer right away.

“I already apologized,” she added after a moment.

Kael stopped beside the bed, not saying anything

Vera noticed and raised her hands defensively. “Look, I know you think I’m reckless or whatever, but you can’t just lock someone in a mansion with guards and expect them not to ask questions.”

“You weren’t locked in.”

She gave him a look. “There were literally two armed men watching the front gate.”

Kael didn’t respond.

Vera shifted under the blanket and watched him more closely. “Something’s wrong.”

His gaze lifted to her.

“You’re acting strange.”

“Am I?”

“Yes. Even for you.”

Kael moved closer to the bed.

Vera immediately noticed the change in distance. Her back pressed slightly deeper into the pillows.

“You’re staring again,” she said quietly.

“Maybe you should stop giving me reasons to.”

Her brows pulled together. “That sentence still doesn’t make sense.”

Kael ignored the comment. His eyes moved slowly across her face, studying her reactions, the small movements she made when she was nervous.

Vera crossed her arms under the blanket. “Okay. Now you’re definitely making this weird.”

Kael rested one hand on the mattress beside her.

The movement brought him closer.

Vera felt it instantly. Her breathing slowed slightly.

“Kael.”

“What?”

“You’re doing that thing again.”

“What thing?”

“Standing too close.”

He didn’t move back.

“You noticed.”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

She frowned. “You’re impossible.”

Kael tilted his head slightly, watching her more carefully now. “You’re nervous.”

“Anyone would be nervous with you hovering like this.”

“You weren’t nervous earlier.”

“That was before you almost crushed my throat.”

A small pause filled the room.

Kael’s expression shifted slightly, something darker passing through his eyes.

“You’re still alive,” he said quietly.

“That’s a low bar for comfort.”

For a moment neither of them spoke. The tension in the room slowly changed. It wasn’t just frustration anymore.

It was something heavier.

Something neither of them was addressing directly.

Vera cleared her throat. “So… why are you really here?”

Kael looked at her.

“I needed to check something.”

Her brows pulled together again. “Check what?”

He didn’t answer.

His gaze moved downward briefly, studying the neckline of her shirt before returning to her eyes.

Vera noticed immediately.

Her grip tightened slightly on the blanket.

“Okay,” she said slowly. “Now I’m concerned.”

“Relax.”

“That’s not helping.”

Kael leaned a little closer.

Close enough that she could feel the warmth from his body.

Vera swallowed.

“Kael.”

“Yes?”

“If you’re planning something strange you should probably explain first.”

His mouth almost curved into a smile. “Strange?”

“You’re staring at my shoulders like they hold the secrets of the universe.”

“Maybe they do.”

“That was not funny.”

His eyes softened slightly, but the intensity didn’t leave.

“You trust me?” he asked suddenly.

The question caught her off guard.

“Do I have a choice?”

“Yes.”

She studied his face carefully.

Kael didn’t look like he was joking.

After a moment she sighed.

“…I think so.”

That answer seemed to settle something in him.

His hand lifted slowly.

Vera’s body tensed automatically.

He noticed.

His voice dropped slightly. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

Her eyes stayed on his hand as it moved closer.

His fingers stopped beside her shoulder, hovering for a second before lightly touching the fabric of her shirt near the collar.

The contact made her inhale softly.

Kael noticed.

His voice lowered even more. “Relax.”

She tried, but the way he was watching her made it difficult.

“What are you doing?” she asked quietly.

“Looking.”

“For what?”

He didn’t answer.

His fingers slid slightly beneath the edge of the fabric.

Vera’s heartbeat sped up.

“Kael…”

“Yes?”

“If this is some strange power move, I’m going to push you off this bed.”

He gave a quiet breath that almost sounded like a laugh.

“That would be entertaining.”

“Don’t test me.”

Kael’s eyes met hers again.

“Trust me.”

She hesitated, searching his expression.

There was something serious there. Something heavier than whatever game she thought he might be playing.

Slowly she nodded once.

“…Fine.”

Kael carefully pulled the collar of her shirt slightly to the side.

Just enough to reveal the skin near her shoulder.

The room grew very quiet.

Vera frowned slightly at the sudden intensity in his eyes.

“Kael?”

He didn’t respond.

His gaze was focused completely on her skin.

Searching.

Waiting.

Vera shifted slightly under the weight of that stare.

“What exactly are you looking for?”

Kael’s mind drifted for a moment.

Cold rooms, Children lined against walls, A man with a knife marking skin like cattle

His breathing slowed, Because in that moment, he realized something.

If she had survived that place… if she had gone through the same trials…

Then the girl sitting in front of him was far more dangerous than anyone in this house realized.

Vera noticed the change in his expression.

“Kael… you’re scaring me a little.”

He finally blinked and looked back at her face.

For a moment they just stared at each other again.

The tension between them had shifted completely now.

Neither of them spoke.

Neither of them moved.

Kael’s fingers were still holding the edge of her collar.