Absolution | +18

Chapter 49

Silas

I woke up slowly, the weight of sleep lifting off me like a heavy fog. For the first time in days, I didn't feel like my body was betraying me. My muscles still ached, bruises protesting with every breath, but the fever was gone. The haze in my mind had cleared, and I felt... stronger. Not whole, but enough.

I blinked, letting my eyes adjust to the dim light filtering through the curtains. As I turned my head, my gaze landed on Val, curled up beside me, her breathing slow and steady. She looked peaceful in her sleep, strands of her hair falling messily across her face. A smile tugged at my lips despite everything.

But then I noticed something—something that twisted that warmth in my chest into a knot of confusion. In her hand, loosely clutched, was a kitchen knife.

My smile faded instantly, replaced by a creeping sense of unease. Why was she holding a knife?

I carefully shifted, trying not to wake her, but I couldn't stop my mind from spinning. I glanced down at her again, taking in the way she was curled up, almost protectively, her grip still firm enough on the handle that the blade's edge rested against the sheet.

Something was wrong.

She wasn't paranoid like that—not before. What had happened while I was out? I had been gone, lost in whatever dark place my mind had taken me, and now, looking at her, I could feel that something had shifted. Something had broken.

I felt my chest tighten, the worry sinking in deeper. She wasn't just tired. She was scared. I could see it in the way her brow furrowed, even in her sleep. There was a weight pressing down on her, something dark, something she hadn't told me.

I carefully reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. She stirred a little but didn't wake. The sight of her like this—fragile, clutching a weapon—made me feel like I had failed her somehow. While I was lying there, half-dead, she had been fighting something alone, something she thought was dangerous enough that she needed to sleep with a knife in her hand.

I felt my stomach churn. What was she hiding?

I eased the knife out of Val's hand and set it on the nightstand, but my mind was still racing. I couldn't just lie there and pretend everything was fine—not with her like this. I needed to clear my head, figure out what had her so scared. Carefully, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, trying not to make a sound.

My body still ached, soreness pulling at every muscle, but at least I could stand on my own again. That was something.

I moved toward the bathroom, each step deliberate and slow, my gaze flicking back to Val every few seconds to make sure I wasn't disturbing her. She was still asleep, curled up where I'd left her. But as I neared the doorway, my foot caught on something—the corner of a chair, maybe. Before I could react, it toppled over with a loud thud, the sound splitting through the quiet apartment.

I froze, heart in my throat, immediately glancing back at Val. Her eyes flew open, wide and wild, and in an instant, her hand shot toward the nightstand.

Before I could say anything, she had the knife clutched in her hand again, holding it up defensively, her chest heaving. There was pure fear in her eyes, her body trembling as if she was ready to fight—to defend herself from something unseen.

"Val!" I said, stepping forward, my hands up, palms open to show her I wasn't a threat. "Hey, it's me. It's just me."

For a moment, she didn't seem to hear me. Her eyes were still frantic, darting around the room, not really seeing me—like she was somewhere else entirely. I could see her pulse racing in her neck, her breath coming out in sharp gasps.