Chapter
218
The chest was old, its wooden surface worn and scratched from years of use. Elyra had stumbled upon it in Matthew's workshop while searching for extra blankets. Something about it had drawn her in, like an itch at the back of her mind.
She knelt beside it, her fingers tracing the ornate lock. The key was still in the mechanism, as if Matthew hadn't expected anyone to find it or hadn't cared if they did. She hesitated, then turned the key.
The chest creaked open, revealing a jumble of old journals, letters, and photographs. Elyra's breath caught as she pulled out the topmost journal, its pages yellowed and fragile.
The entries were written in Matthew's unmistakable handwriting, their dates going back years. One caught her eye immediately-dated the night he'd found them.
"Something was wrong with the forest tonight. The air felt heavy, the way it does before a storm, but the sky was clear. And then I saw them-two children, alone, huddled together under the trees. There was a strange glow around them, faint but undeniable, like the moonlight had decided to follow them. I should have walked away, but I couldn't. Something-someone-was watching from the shadows. I felt it. I don't know what I brought home that night, but it wasn't just two lost kids."
Elyra's hands trembled as she turned the page, but the rest of the entry had been scribbled over, the words too chaotic to read.
"What are you doing?"
The sharp voice made her jump. She looked up to see Matthew standing in the doorway, his expression hard.
"I... I found this," Elyra stammered, holding up the journal. "Why didn't you tell us about this?"
Matthew's jaw tightened as he stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. "Because there's nothing to tell," he said flatly.
Elyra's golden eyes narrowed. "That's not true. You knew we weren't normal. You knew there was something out there that night, watching us."
Matthew sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know what I saw," he admitted. "And I don't know what you are. All I know is that I couldn't leave you out there." "Why not?" Elyra demanded.
Matthew hesitated, his eyes meeting hers. "Because I saw the fear in your eyes. Whatever it was that brought you here... it wasn't something you chose."
Elyra's anger softened, but her frustration remained. She wanted answers-needed them-but Matthew didn't have them.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I've done my best to keep you safe. But if there's more to this than I can see... I don't know if I can protect you from it."noveldrama