Unraveling Threads

Evelyn moved through the dim corridors of Velthorne's estate, her thoughts a storm of tangled emotions.

Her mind refused to settle.

She had spent years pushing herself to become a knight, to be strong, disciplined, worthy.

And yet—standing here, on the brink of uncovering something that felt too close, too personal—she felt like a lost child.

Her fingers curled into fists at her sides.

Where are you now, when I need you?

The thought surfaced before she could stop it.

The familiar ache in her chest, the quiet longing she had buried deep inside—for the friend who had once pushed her forward, the one who had made her believe she could become something greater.

A friend she had not seen in years.

A friend whose name felt like a whisper just out of reach.

She clenched her teeth.

It didn't matter now.

She needed answers.

Damien walked a step behind her, too quiet. His usual teasing was gone, and for once, he wasn't trying to fill the silence with smirking remarks or sharp wit.

That alone told her how bad this was.

She turned on him near an open balcony, the cold night air biting against her skin. "No more avoiding it. I need you to tell me everything."

Damien leaned against the stone railing, his silver eyes dark beneath the moonlight. "I already told you what happened."

Evelyn's jaw clenched. "Not enough. There are pieces missing, Damien. I can feel it."

His fingers tapped idly against the railing, but she didn't miss the tightness in his jaw.

For the first time, he looked exhausted.

Like he had been carrying something for far too long.

"You always do this," she muttered, half to herself.

Damien raised an eyebrow. "Do what?"

"Act like none of this affects you," she said, crossing her arms. "Like none of it matters."

Damien exhaled slowly. "Maybe because it doesn't."

Evelyn narrowed her eyes. "Liar."

Something flickered in his gaze, but he didn't respond.

She stepped closer. "She meant something to you, didn't she?"

A pause.

Then—softer than she had ever heard him speak—Damien whispered, "Yes."

Her breath hitched.

She had expected deflection. A joke. Anything but this.

Evelyn's throat tightened. "And yet you never say her name."

Damien flinched.

The reaction was small—so small—but she caught it.

For a moment, he was bare.

Vulnerable.

Evelyn took a slow breath, her voice gentler now. "Damien."

He didn't move.

Didn't speak.

Just stared into the distance like he was fighting something inside himself.

Evelyn swallowed hard. "I think I knew her."

Damien's gaze snapped to hers, and for a second, something raw and unguarded flashed across his face.

Fear.

Pain.

Hope.

It vanished as quickly as it came.

Evelyn took another step forward. "I don't remember everything. It's like the memories are there, but… hidden. Just out of reach."

Damien exhaled slowly. "Maybe it's better that way."

Evelyn's chest tightened. "For who? You? Or me?"

Damien didn't answer.

And that silence spoke louder than words.

She turned away, gripping the stone railing, her fingers digging into the rough surface.

That feeling again.

Like something was missing.

Like someone was missing.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

Where are you now, when I need you?

But no answer came.

Memories in the Dark

Sleep didn't come easily.

Evelyn lay awake, staring at the ceiling, her mind a tangled mess of half-remembered laughter and fading echoes of a voice she should know.

She closed her eyes, willing herself to remember.

And then—

A flash.

Training grounds.

A wooden sword clashing against hers.

The sound of familiar laughter.

She saw a girl, her back turned, auburn hair tied up in a loose braid.

"Again."

Evelyn's heart pounded.

She knew this memory.

She had been younger—eager, determined.

And this girl had been her mentor.

Her friend.

Her idol.

She gasped, her eyes snapping open.

Her hands were shaking.

She knew this girl.

She had always known.

Then why—why couldn't she remember her name?

Her breath came fast, uneven. She pushed herself up, pressing a hand against her forehead.

It was right there.

She had been so close.

A knock at the door made her jolt.

Damien's voice drifted through the wood. "Evelyn."

Her pulse was still racing. "What?"

A pause.

Then, softer, "We need to leave. Now."

Evelyn frowned, standing up and opening the door. "Why? What happened?"

Damien's expression was unreadable, but there was an urgency in his stance—something tense in his shoulders.

"They're watching us," he murmured. "Velthorne isn't going to let us walk away so easily."

Evelyn's stomach twisted.

Of course he wasn't.

She grabbed her sword, tightening the straps of her armor. "What's the plan?"

Damien's smirk finally returned, but there was something different in it this time.

Something darker.

"We start playing by our own rules."

The Escape

They moved quickly, slipping through the dimly lit corridors of the estate.

Damien had memorized every exit, every blind spot, every patrol route.

Evelyn followed his lead, her mind still spinning from the flashes of memory that refused to settle.

Who had that girl been to her?

Why had she forgotten?

And why did it feel like Damien was hiding something even bigger?

As they neared the outer wall, Damien held up a hand, motioning for her to stop.

She followed his gaze.

Two guards stood near the gate, weapons at their sides.

Evelyn instinctively reached for her sword, but Damien caught her wrist.

She shot him a glare. "What?"

His smirk deepened. "Let me handle this."

Before she could protest, he stepped forward.

Casually.

Like he belonged there.

Moments later, after a ridiculous bluff that somehow worked, they slipped past the guards into the night.

Evelyn turned to Damien, exhaling sharply. "You just talked us out of there."

Damien smirked. "What can I say? I'm persuasive."

Evelyn huffed, crossing her arms. "I still would've preferred the sword."

Damien laughed. "I know."

Evelyn glanced back once, seeing the distant torches of Velthorne's estate.

This wasn't over.

The past was catching up to them.

And soon—there would be nowhere left to run.