amdauthor

Synopsis: The Sins That Bind Us

Phileo killed her family. Evelyne knows this. And yet—she walks beside him.

She should have hated him. She should have sought vengeance. But the world is never so simple. The man who tore her life apart is also the only one who can help her uncover the truth—the truth about why her parents were marked for death, the truth about the shadowed hands that still pull the strings from the dark.

But blood cannot be washed away so easily.

With every step, Phileo is forced to confront the weight of his sins, the ghost of the girl he left behind, now grown into a woman who refuses to break. Evelyne does not forgive. She does not forget. And though she needs him now, one day, she will have to decide—justice or survival.

Because when the past finally catches up to them, neither of them may walk away alive.

TruthUntold

Evelyne stirred awake to the distant sound of birds outside. Her body still ached, but the worst had passed. The fever had left her weak, but not broken.

She pushed herself up, wincing as a sharp pain flared in her side. The bandages were tight, holding the wound together, but moving too much would tear it open again.

Her eyes flicked to the table nearby, where a small plate of bread and dried meat sat untouched. Phileo must have left it before heading out.

Her lips pressed into a thin line.

Four days. He had stayed for four days.

She had known men like him before. Men who didn't linger, who didn't care beyond necessity. But Phileo had stayed—watched over her, treated her wounds, kept her alive.

That wasn't the behavior of a cold-blooded killer.

She needed to know the truth. About him. About her past. About why Nikolai had come for Phileo with such certainty.

And she wasn't going to find answers by sitting here.

The cabin was silent, save for the soft crackle of the fire. Evelyne had barely taken a bite of bread when the door creaked open.

Her head snapped up, expecting to see Phileo.

A man stepped inside, his silhouette blocking the light. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair and sharp eyes that gleamed with quiet amusement.

He wasn't dressed like a common traveler. His boots were polished, his coat well-fitted, his stance too practiced.

She knew a trained fighter when she saw one.

And this man—whoever he was—was dangerous.

His gaze swept the room before settling on her. Then, he smiled.

"Well," he said, his tone almost teasing. "I didn't expect to find you here, little lady."

Evelyne's fingers tightened around the edge of the blanket, her mind racing.

He wasn't an assassin. If he were, he wouldn't have made his presence known so easily. But that didn't mean he wasn't a threat.

The man chuckled. "No need to be so tense. I'm not here to kill you."

His eyes flicked to the bandages around her waist. "Though, from the looks of it, someone already tried."

The man tilted his head. "You really don't remember me, do you?"

He sighed dramatically. "Figures. We only met once, and you were just a kid back then."

Before she could ask anything else, his eyes shifted toward the table. "Ah, bread and dried meat? Let me guess—Phileo left that for you?"

Evelyne tensed at the mention of his name.

The man smirked. "So, it's true. The infamous Phileo has been playing nursemaid."

Her stomach twisted. Who was this man? How did he know Phileo?

And why did he sound so amused by it?

Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Phileo paused.

The forest was too quiet. The usual rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds—all of it had faded. The unnatural stillness made his grip tighten around his sword.

Tracks. Fresh ones. Not animal—human.

He moved swiftly, his instincts sharpening. The food he had gathered was forgotten as a more pressing concern took hold.

If someone had found Evelyne while he was gone—

And for the first time in years, a cold dread settled in his chest.

Chapter 11: The Hunt Never Ends