encounter

Chapter 29: "An Unlikely Encounter"

Ayra had been living with Nurse Vanessa since her return from the Shadow Realm. With no place to call her own, Ayra had offered to help Vanessa with household chores in exchange for shelter. At first, the tasks had been daunting, but Ayra had slowly adapted to her new life.

Today, Ayra had convinced Vanessa to take her to the hospital to visit her friend Olivia. As they approached Olivia's room, Ayra heard Olivia's anguished cries.

"Where is Fynn, my husband?" Olivia's voice cracked as she sobbed.

Ryan," Eden replied calmly, his deep voice a stark contrast to Olivia's distress.

Ayra pushed open the door, stepping into a room filled with a white, misty smoke. Eden's demi-god aura swirled around him, casting an ethereal glow. Ayra's eyes widened as she took in the scene.

"What's going on?" Ayra asked, her voice firm but laced with concern.

Olivia's eyes locked onto Ayra's, pleading for help. "Oh, Ayra, save me!"

Ayra's gaze shifted to Eden, her eyes narrowing. "What do you want?" she asked, her tone cautious.

Eden's response was simple: "Older sister."

Ayra's eyes snapped back to Olivia. "Do you know him, Olivia?" she asked, trying to gauge the situation.

Olivia's face contorted in anguish. "Monster! He killed my husband! Where is Flynn?" she screamed.

Ayra's gaze returned to Eden, her eyes searching for answers. "Did you?" she asked, her voice firm.

Eden's response was curt: "I killed Ryan."

Ayra's thoughts whirled as she tried to process Eden's words. There was something unsettling about his demeanor, yet he seemed to make sense despite his sparse words.

As Eden took a deep breath, masking his aura, Ayra caught her first glimpse of his face. Her eyes widened as she took in his intimidating appearance: tattoos adorned his neck, a skull design prominent among them. His icy blue eyes seemed to bore into her soul, and his black, curly hair added to his enigmatic aura.

"Out of this world," Ayra thought, her mind reeling from the encounter.

Eden, too, had frozen, his eyes locked onto Ayra's. He took in her raven hair, hazel eyes, and curves, his expression unreadable. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as they regarded each other, the air thick with tension.