Chapter 27 - A Place to Hide

Lucien drove in silence, his hands steady on the wheel, eyes locked on the empty road ahead. The city lights had long disappeared behind them, replaced by the dark silhouette of trees and the faint glow of the stars above. Beside him, Evelyn sat with her arms crossed, occasionally stealing glances at him.

She wasn't afraid anymore. Not of him.

The night was quiet, but inside her mind, there was a storm of thoughts. The man beside her wasn't just some transfer student with a mysterious aura. He was a killer—a trained warrior who had single-handedly taken down an entire group of assassins. And yet, she couldn't deny it.

She felt safe with him.

Lucien suddenly pulled the car onto a dirt road, leading into a secluded area surrounded by trees. After a few minutes, they arrived at an old safe house, a simple yet sturdy wooden cabin hidden away from civilization.

"We're staying here for now," Lucien said, stepping out of the car.

Evelyn followed, shivering slightly from the cold night air. "You planned all this, didn't you?"

Lucien didn't answer. He was already checking the perimeter, making sure no one had followed them.

She exhaled sharply. Of course he did.

---

Inside, the cabin was basic but livable—two bedrooms, a small kitchen, and a living area with old furniture. Evelyn sat on the worn-out couch, finally taking a moment to breathe. She looked down at her hands. They were still trembling slightly.

Everything that had happened in the past 24 hours felt surreal.

Being kidnapped. Held hostage. Lucien fighting through an army of assassins. And now, she was here, in a secret hideout, away from everything she thought was normal.

And yet, she wasn't panicking.

She looked up, watching Lucien silently setting up traps outside. He's been doing this his whole life… hasn't he?

When he finally stepped back in, she spoke without thinking.

"How can you do all this without hesitation?"

Lucien paused. He glanced at her, his expression unreadable. Then, he simply replied, "Because I don't have a choice."

Evelyn didn't press further. Somehow, she already understood.

---

That night, after everything had settled, they sat outside the cabin, the sky above them filled with stars. It was quiet, except for the sound of leaves rustling in the wind.

Evelyn hugged her knees, staring at the sky. "I used to stargaze with Ethan when we were kids," she murmured. "He'd always ask me ridiculous questions. Like, if we could own a star, which one would we pick?"

Lucien remained silent, listening.

"…I always told him I'd pick the brightest one," she continued, a small smile appearing on her lips. "Because it'd be easier to find if I ever got lost."

Lucien didn't reply, but there was something in the way he looked at her—something unreadable, yet strangely soft.

For the first time in a long while, Evelyn felt a sense of calm.

And for the first time, she stopped seeing Lucien as just a protector.

---

Meanwhile…

Far away, in the depths of the city, Daggerbone wasn't sitting idle.

A dark figure stood inside a dimly lit room, staring at the flickering screen of a computer. The Mercer name had been flagged.

Richard Mercer had unknowingly triggered a financial transaction that led straight to the safe house.

A smirk appeared on the assassin's lips.

"Found you."

---

Lucien never slept easily.

Evelyn woke up in the middle of the night to the faint sound of movement outside. Curious, she stepped out—and what she saw made her stop in her tracks.

Lucien stood in the clearing, moving like a shadow, his body flowing through a series of deadly strikes with precision. His muscles tensed and relaxed with each motion, his katana slicing through the cold night air.

Evelyn watched, captivated.

She had always known he was strong, but seeing him like this—completely in his element, the moonlight casting sharp shadows over his face—it was something else entirely.

Lucien suddenly stopped.

He turned, his sharp eyes meeting hers.

Evelyn's breath hitched.

The way he was looking at her—it wasn't intimidating, nor was it cold. It was calm. Steady. Like he could see right through her.

"You should be sleeping," Lucien finally said, his voice quieter than usual.

Evelyn hesitated, then nodded. But as she turned away, she caught herself smiling just a little.

And for the first time since this all began… she didn't mind being here with him.

---

End of Chapter 27.