Beyond

The cabin

By the time they reach the cabin in the woods, the sun has dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the forest. The structure is rustic, built from dark wood and stone, with a warm glow coming from within. As they enter, the others peel away, heading toward the town that lies further down the trail, leaving Piper alone with Connor. She watches them go, her stomach still twisted in knots from the events of today, but somehow, she feels safer now.

The air between them is thick with something unspoken as he leads her inside. The interior is simple but comfortable, with a large hearth crackling with a warm fire. Piper immediately feels a sense of ease, though the tension from earlier still lingers, like an invisible thread connecting her to him.

"You'll be safe here for the night," Connor says, his voice softer now that they're alone. "The others are going to the town to make sure everything's secure." Piper nods, her eyes scanning the cabin, though she's very aware of his presence behind her. "This place... it feels like I've stepped into another world."

Connor leans against the wall, watching her with a small, almost amused smile. "You have."

She turns to face him, folding her arms. "What is this place? Who are you?"

He pauses, as if weighing what to say. "It's complicated."

"Everything about today has been complicated," Piper mutters, her lips curving into a reluctant smile as she sinks into one of the chairs by the fire. Connor smiles back, something warmer in his expression now. "I'll give you that."

The fire crackles softly in the hearth, casting flickering shadows across the cabin's wooden walls. Piper's thoughts swirl as she sits near Connor, the silence between them thick but strangely comfortable. She can feel his presence, steady and calm, and it soothes the turmoil inside her. Despite everything, she doesn't feel like a stranger in this realm—not with him so close.

Connor leans back in his chair, his amber eyes reflecting the firelight, though there's an unreadable expression behind them. Piper feels a tug inside her, that strange connection between them growing stronger with each passing moment. It's both unsettling and magnetic, as if she's been drawn into his orbit and there's no escape, even if she wanted one.

Piper watches the flames dance, trying to make sense of the strange turn her life has taken, but every time she starts to pull at the threads, her mind drifts back to him. To the way he had looked at her, as if he already knew her—as if she belonged here.

Connor breaks the silence first. "Tell me about yourself, Piper. You're not like most humans."

She glances at him, brow furrowed in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He smirks, though there's no malice in it. "You wandered through a portal into another realm, and you're sitting here, calm as can be."

Piper chuckles, though there's a touch of nervousness in it. "Trust me, calm is not how I'm feeling right now. I'm just... going with the flow." He nods, his gaze softening again. "It's... admirable."

Piper raises a brow, trying to hide the warmth creeping into her cheeks. "Is that a compliment?" Connor's smile grows, and for a moment, something playful passes between them. "It is."

The atmosphere shifts again, the ease between them growing as the night deepens. There's something about him that pulls her in—something familiar and foreign all at once. As the fire crackles and the world outside falls silent, Piper feels herself leaning toward him, just a little.

"What about you?" she asks, her voice quieter now, as if not wanting to disturb the fragile peace between them. "Why are you out here in the middle of nowhere with... well, all of this?"