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 night was unnervingly quiet after Dorian and the Order disappeared into the trees. The tension remained, thick as fog, settling deep into Evelyne's chest.

She turned to Phileo, who still hadn't moved. His gray eyes were locked on the darkness beyond, his grip on the scythe white-knuckled.

His fingers twitched, and after a long moment, he finally exhaled. The scythe vanished from his grasp.

Alsiel let out a dramatic sigh, dusting himself off. "Well, that was unpleasant."

Phileo didn't respond. His gaze remained distant, unreadable.

Evelyne stepped forward. "They let us go," she said, voice careful.

Alsiel nodded. "That's the weird part."

Phileo's jaw tightened. "They didn't 'let us go.'"

Evelyne frowned. "Then what was that?"

Phileo turned to her, his expression colder than she had seen in a while.

Alsiel crossed his arms. "Well, I don't like being someone's experiment."

Phileo ignored him. "Dorian wasn't here to kill us. If he was, he wouldn't have wasted time talking."

Evelyne shivered at the thought. Dorian was dangerous—his presence alone had proved that much.

Alsiel rubbed his chin. "So, what? He was just checking in?"

Phileo exhaled sharply. "No." His gaze darkened. "He was gauging my strength."

Evelyne swallowed hard. It made sense. Dorian could have ordered his men to strike the moment they arrived, but instead, he engaged Phileo directly—watching, testing, calculating.

And next time, Dorian wouldn't leave without blood.

"We leave now," Phileo said, already walking toward the horses.

Evelyne hesitated. "But it's still night—"

Phileo glanced at her, his expression unwavering. "That's why we leave now."

Alsiel groaned. "No rest? No food? No chance to sleep off our near-death experience?"

Phileo didn't even look at him. "No."

Evelyne exhaled, pushing past her exhaustion. She knew Phileo was right—if they stayed, they were as good as dead.

With no further argument, they mounted their horses and rode into the night.

Chapter 25: Beneath the Moonlit Silence