Our Secrets

CHAPTER 18

"The wise man knows that he knows nothing, the fool thinks that he knows all."

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I slammed the journal shut, my hands trembling with a mixture of anger and sorrow. Mare's ordeal at the hands of Hades Palamon filled me with a seething rage, knowing that justice for her suffering was far from adequate with just a life sentence. No, Hades Palamon deserved far worse; he deserved the death penalty.

With a heavy heart, I tossed the journal aside, the weight of its contents bearing down on me like a suffocating blanket. Leaning back against the headboard, I closed my eyes, willing the tears threatening to spill over to remain hidden beneath a facade of stoicism.

But my moment of solitude is interrupted by a persistent knocking at the hotel room door. I snap back to reality, the sound jolting me from my thoughts as I call out, "Who's at the door?!"

Relief floods through me at the sound of Alastor's voice, his familiar presence offering a brief respite from the turmoil within. "It's just me!" he reassures me.

With a sigh, I rise from the bed and approach the door, my apprehension mounting at the prospect of facing him once again. I swing the door open, meeting Alastor's gaze with a guarded expression, silently pleading with him not to stir up any unwanted emotions within me.

Alastor's grin is infuriatingly smug as he surveys the hotel room, his playful demeanor grating on my nerves. "Well if this isn't the presidential suite...wanna trade rooms, Naiomi?" he quips, his words laced with teasing undertones.

Suppressing an eye roll, I gesture toward the room with a dismissive wave. "No, it's not a presidential suite. It's just a regular room, and yours is down the hall. Did you get lost?" My tone is clipped, betraying the tension simmering beneath the surface as I struggle to maintain my composure in his presence.

Alastor's demeanor was relaxed as he settled onto the couch, his eyes scanning the room with a curious glint. The subtle movements of his hands betrayed a sense of restlessness, a restless energy that seemed to emanate from him like a quiet hum in the air.

I couldn't help but feel a pang of irritation at his casual demeanor, the weight of the world pressing down on my shoulders as I grappled with the gravity of our situation. The last thing I needed was Alastor's playful banter distracting me from the task at hand.

"Why do you have a map?" he finally asked, his voice breaking the silence with unexpected curiosity.

I bit back a retort, my frustration simmering beneath the surface as I resisted the urge to snap at him. Instead, I forced myself to respond with a measured tone, masking the irritation that threatened to bubble over.

"What do you want, A.J.?" I countered, my words laced with thinly veiled impatience.

To my surprise, Alastor's smile only widened at the sound of his nickname, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he leaned in closer. "I have some news to deliver for you," he replied, his tone teasing yet earnest. "Are you taking mail?"

His words piqued my interest, the prospect of new information sparking a glimmer of anticipation within me. With a nod, I gestured for him to continue, setting aside my annoyance for the time being.

"I think I can let the mailman in just this one time," I conceded, a wry smile tugging at the corners of my lips as I tossed the discarded dress onto the bed with a careless motion.

As I settled onto the couch beside him, I couldn't shake the feeling that Alastor's presence was both a blessing and a curse.

He smiled at me, clearly enjoying my willingness to engage in his little game before he delved into the matter at hand. "You know that guy that Gwen was seeing?"