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

The fire had long since died down, leaving only glowing embers as the night stretched toward dawn. The crisp morning air carried a lingering chill, and the scent of damp earth clung to the trees. Evelyne pulled her cloak tighter around herself, listening to the rhythmic sharpening of Phileo's sword.

They were still in the forest, waiting for the first light before setting off. The plan was simple—head east before the Order, also known as the Black Veil, could track them.

Evelyne glanced at Phileo, who sat by the fading fire, his gray eyes focused on the blade in his hands. He hadn't spoken much since the previous night, and neither had she. There was an unspoken weight in the air, thick with unsaid words.

Alsiel, sprawled lazily against a fallen log, let out an exaggerated yawn. "I don't see why we can't leave now. It's not like the dark's ever stopped us before."

Phileo didn't look up. "The horses need rest."

Alsiel grinned. "Oh, right! You were asleep when we got them." He stretched. "A little… borrowing, if you will. Some poor merchant won't be happy, but hey, we were in a hurry."

Evelyne crossed her arms. "That's called stealing."

"Borrowing," Alsiel corrected. "We'll return them. Probably."

Phileo sheathed his sword, standing. "Enough. We leave at first light."

Alsiel sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine." He glanced at Evelyne. "Excited? This is your first big escape with us."

Evelyne wasn't sure how to answer that. Excited wasn't the word. She was exhausted, wary, and burdened with questions—questions that no one seemed eager to answer.

Instead of responding, she turned her gaze toward the horizon, where the faintest hint of dawn was beginning to color the sky.

Chapter 19: Before Dawn