She isn't fine like she pretends to be. On the contrary.
Liliana Storm Whitlock is shattered into a thousand pieces, used from the ones she loves, betrayed by the ones she loves, broken by the ones she loves.
So she lost herself.
And it all seems t...
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The mansion is too silent as we slide down the steps with impressive smoothness. I even manage to surprise myself with how quietly I step down the stairs. But maybe the pressure that is rising in my chest is enough incentive for me to fight to keep quiet.
Someone entered the Knight's mansion without permission. It will not go unpunished by anyone.
Magnolia, walking in front of me, with a gun in hand is enough proof of it.
But now more than ever, I will not flee from a fight. Especially after everything Magnolia and her family have been through, I cannot coward away and let them risk anything more. I need to be there. They offered me shelter and safety when I needed it most, so this would be one of the thousands of ways I would repay them.
I will not back away from danger. Not anymore.
Rhys seems to agree more than ever, as he keeps his body close to mine while leaving enough freedom for me to move. But I know that if in case anything went down the wrong path, his body would find its way in front of mine to protect me from whatever would be coming at us.
My body tenses as we approach the voices that are lingering only a room away from us now. But as soon as my eyes fall on Magnolia whose gaze seems to be inflamed by anger in the darkness, all fear leaves my body.
She reaches for the door, all while keeping out of sight of the intruders and I follow in her steps on the other side as if a mirror separated us. One nod from her and I am ready to face the intruders.
Magnolia's lips seem to move in the darkness and before my brain can understand, she is gone through the opening of the door. I follow suit without a second thought.
With my hands tightly gripped around the statue, I lift it up at whoever dared to violate the property. I freeze in place the second my eyes have adjusted to the dim light that gently lightens the faces of the intruders.
What the actual f-
"Well hello there,"
The voice is smooth, the harshness of it been dimmed down by irony. "It took you longer than I thought for you to appear in front of us."
Ostin lets out a small chuckle at the end of his sentence as he eyes the gun of Magnolia that is now only inches away from his face with a wim of boredom. As if death was not lingering in front of him, taunting him.
He doesn't care to acknowledge Magnolia however. His eyes quickly cross mine and a large grin grows on his face at the action. "You look well, Whitlock." he says. The words only genuine without a hint of mockery or irony. "Better than last time I ran into you."
The single thought of that makes a shiver run down my spine. Back at the gas station. That was a dark and devastating day for me, for my soul. I would lie by saying that I believe the darkness I felt back there will ever leave my body and heart. I know it won't. Yet, I made peace with it.
