🗝️Detective Ryker Viltarin must uncover dark secrets before he loses not only his heart but also his life.🗝️
You're on your own, far from home
The wind is blowing in the top of the pines
A gloomy sky where the sun never shines
Deep...
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"Eve, watch out!" Ray held out his hand, and she moved forward. The thought of Eve slipping and hurting herself was unbearable. Immediately, bitter bile rose in his throat. His grip was firm as he hurriedly pulled Eve to the safe ground and then close to his chest.
He had to hold her for a moment until his heartbeat calmed.
"Ray, are you all right? Where is...?"
"Escaped," Ray pressed out.
Downstairs, the boy cried bitterly, and the fleeing hermit was quickly forgotten—at least for that moment.
"Come on, let me do it," Ray gasped and gently squeezed Eve's hand. Their eyes met for a few heartbeats; Eve seemed to hesitate but nodded in agreement.
With the help of the roots, Ray climbed into the hollow bit by bit and slid down the rest. Some old rainwater remained at the bottom. It soaked and drenched his boots as he trudged through the mud to Liam.
"Go away!" the little boy scolded, his face wet with tears, and slapped Ray half-heartedly.
"Liam!" came the stern voice from above.
"Come on, Liam. I'll take you up to your mum," Ray said conciliatory. "It's wet and cold down here. You want to see your mum, don't you?"
The boy's lip trembled, and Ray would have liked to take him in his arms to show him he was there for him, too. But he had to give the child time ...
The little fingers wiped over his face and smeared it with more mud. But then he stretched out his arms - and that was all Ray needed. He knelt before the boy and let him climb onto his back. It was exhausting, and his body felt like blades were digging into his flesh. Nevertheless, he pulled himself up the embankment until he could lower the boy into the bed of leaves. There, Eve rushed towards the boy, but he pulled his legs to his body and contorted his face in a mixture of rage and desperate crying.
"No! Liar! I hate you!"
Ray was heartbroken. Liam wanted to throw his arms around his mum's neck and cry. The boy had probably been holding back all the pent-up emotions now bursting out of him.
