𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐒

Ep 9. Shattered Illusions

The church loomed in front of me, its ancient stone walls casting long shadows in the moonlight. The cool breeze brushed against my skin, carrying with it a strange sense of foreboding. I tugged my black cropped jacket tighter around me, the silver chains and studded belt hugging my figure perfectly. The outfit felt like armor, something I could hide behind tonight, even though I knew it was more than just a look.

But despite the confidence my clothes usually gave me, my heart was still racing as I approached Lucian. He stood by the side of the church, as still as the statues around us. His gaze was intense, his jaw set in that same serious expression he always wore. Something about him in the dim light made my heart race, but not entirely from fear. There was something deeper, something unspoken between us, and it scared me more than I cared to admit.

"You're here," he said, his voice low, almost a whisper in the night air.

I nodded, swallowing the nerves building in my chest. "I told you I would be. Now... explain. No more cryptic messages. What's really going on?"

He glanced around, as if making sure we were truly alone, before stepping closer. The moonlight barely illuminated his face, but I could see the tension in his features.

"It's not safe to talk about everything here," he began. "But I'll give you as much as I can. Noctem Ordinem—they're dangerous, Aria. They've been watching you for a long time."

I felt my pulse quicken. "Why? What do they want with me?"

"I don't know exactly," Lucian admitted, running a hand through his dark hair in frustration. "But it's not a coincidence that you're involved now. You have something they want. Something you're connected to, whether you realize it or not."

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could say anything, the church's massive oak door creaked open behind us. Both of us froze, eyes darting to the door, but no one appeared. The silence that followed was thick, suffocating. I glanced at Lucian, whose expression had darkened further.

"We're not alone," he muttered, taking a step closer to me. "We need to leave."

I felt a jolt of adrenaline course through me, but I wasn't about to run—not yet. "You haven't told me enough. I need more than vague warnings, Lucian."

His hand shot out, grabbing mine, his grip firm but not painful. "Aria, this isn't a game. If you don't leave with me now, things could get worse."

There it was again—that urgency, that need to protect me. Despite the fear in his eyes, I couldn't ignore the pull I felt toward him. It was confusing, overwhelming, and at the worst possible moment.

"I trust you," I said quietly, locking eyes with him. "But you have to trust me too. I deserve to know the truth."

Lucian hesitated, his gaze softening slightly before he pulled me gently toward him, shielding me with his body as we moved away from the church. My breath caught in my throat as his warmth pressed against me, our proximity sending shivers down my spine for reasons that had nothing to do with the cold.

We didn't speak as we hurried away from the church and into the woods behind it. The tension between us only grew, unspoken words and emotions hanging in the air like a thick fog.

When we finally stopped, far enough that the church was just a shadow in the distance, Lucian let go of my hand, his expression torn.

"I'll explain more," he said, his voice barely audible. "But not here. Not yet. You have to trust me, Aria."

I crossed my arms, the frustration rising in me again. "I do trust you, but you keep holding back. How am I supposed to protect myself if I don't know what I'm up against?"

His eyes darkened, and for a moment, I thought he was going to lash out, but instead, he just let out a long, shaky breath. "You're not supposed to protect yourself, Aria. I am."

The intensity of his words hit me harder than I expected. I stared at him, my mind racing to make sense of everything. Why was he so intent on protecting me? What was really going on?

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, my voice softer now, the anger slipping away. "Why do you care so much?"

Lucian looked at me, and for the first time since we'd met, there was a vulnerability in his eyes. His lips parted, as if he wanted to say something, but the words didn't come. Instead, he just shook his head, his gaze dropping to the ground.

"I don't have all the answers," he finally said, his voice rough. "But I know I can't let anything happen to you."

For a moment, neither of us said anything. The night air was still, the world around us silent. The only sound was the soft rustling of leaves in the wind, and the distant hum of the town far below the hills.

Then, just as the tension between us seemed to reach its peak, a sharp rustling sound came from behind the trees. Lucian stiffened immediately, his body going rigid.

"They're here," he whispered, his eyes narrowing.

Before I could react, he grabbed my hand again and started pulling me deeper into the woods. My heart pounded in my chest, my legs struggling to keep up as we weaved through the trees. Whoever—or whatever—was following us was getting closer.

I stumbled over a root, nearly losing my balance, but Lucian caught me before I could fall. "Come on," he urged, his voice tight with urgency.

We broke into a small clearing, the moonlight pouring down on us, and Lucian abruptly stopped, turning to face me. "I need you to hide," he said quickly. "They won't find you if you stay low. I'll deal with them."

"What? No!" I protested, shaking my head. "I'm not leaving you to fight them alone!"

"You have to!" he insisted, his grip on my shoulders firm. "I can handle this. You can't get involved."

Tears of frustration pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I knew this wasn't the time for stubbornness. Lucian was right—whatever was coming, I wasn't ready to face it. Not yet.

"Go," he said, his voice softer now, almost pleading. "I'll come find you when it's safe."

Reluctantly, I nodded and slipped behind a cluster of thick bushes, crouching low. My heart was in my throat as I watched Lucian stand tall in the middle of the clearing, his eyes scanning the trees around us.

Seconds felt like hours as I waited, barely daring to breathe. And then, just as I thought the tension couldn't get any worse, shadows began to emerge from the treeline, figures cloaked in darkness, moving silently toward Lucian.

My blood ran cold. This was it. This was what Lucian had been warning me about all along.

And now, I could only watch.

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Oh hell nah, homegirl Finna see red.

🚨 Spoiler alert🚨 they all will transform into unicorns and start looking for the rainbow. 🦄