Bound By Power

8

Once Lorenzo left, Enzo appeared in the garden, holding two glasses of orange juice, one in each hand. His eyes scanned the area until they landed on his twin brother, Julian, who was seated on the swing, looking lost in thought. Julian's small frame trembled slightly, still shaken by the terrifying events of the night before, but Enzo noticed something else too—the faint red hue on his cheeks.

“Julian!” Enzo called, approaching his brother. When Julian didn’t respond, Enzo called again, a little louder this time. Still no reaction.

Finally, he raised his voice, half-shouting, “Julian!”

Startled, Julian snapped out of his trance, his eyes widening as he realized his brother was standing right in front of him. “Oh, Enzo…” he mumbled, his voice barely audible.

“What’s wrong, Julian?” Enzo asked, his tone softening as he knelt down next to the swing. “I know you’re still terrified after what happened, but you’ve got to take care of yourself.” He offered one of the glasses to his brother. “Here, drink this. It’ll help.”

Julian hesitated for a moment but then took the juice with a small, grateful nod. “Thanks,” he murmured before taking a sip, the cool, citrusy drink soothing his dry throat.

Enzo watched his brother closely, concern etched on his face. “You’re trembling, Julian,” he said quietly. “It’s not good for your health to stay like this.”

“Yeah… I know,” Julian replied in a low voice, his eyes still distant. “But I’m okay, or at least… I’m trying to be.”

“Okay, that’s good,” Enzo said, a hint of relief in his voice. “But now, tell me—what’s going on?”

Julian looked confused for a moment. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Enzo smirked, “why were you zoning out just now? And with those heavy red cheeks too, huh?” His tone was teasing, but gentle.

Julian’s cheeks grew even redder at his brother’s observation. He fidgeted with the glass in his hand, unsure of how to explain himself. “I-I… It’s nothing,” he stammered. “I was just thinking about last night… and it’s sunny… and, um, summer vacation…”

Enzo raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Uh-huh,” he said, drawing out the words. “Sure, because last night and the weather explain why your face looks like a tomato.”

Julian squirmed in his seat, his thoughts flashing back to Lorenzo’s playful teasing, the way he’d called him ‘cute’ and ‘a little bunny.’ The memory was enough to make his heart race all over again. But he couldn’t admit that to Enzo—not when he was already feeling so embarrassed.

“Okay, okay,” Enzo laughed, standing up and ruffling Julian’s hair. “You rest here, little bro. I’m gonna go check on Elena.”

As Enzo walked away, Julian let out a quiet sigh of relief. He watched his twin disappear into the house, his mind still buzzing with everything that had happened. He wasn’t sure how to deal with all these new feelings, but for now, he was content to stay in the garden, the swing rocking gently beneath him as he tried to make sense of it all.

Damien walked with purpose down the hallway towards Elena’s room, his mind replaying the horrifying events from last night. He knew she had been terrified, and now, more than ever, she was scared of him. After all, she was just 15, and he, a 24-year-old man, was a far cry from someone she could easily trust. Reaching her door, he knocked twice. When no response came, he noticed the door was slightly ajar and quietly pushed it open.

Inside, Elena lay asleep, her small frame almost swallowed by the large bed. A cold patch rested on her forehead, and her long, wavy brown hair was scattered across the pillow and spilling onto the bed. Damien's eyes traveled over her dusky skin—a clear inheritance from her father—and her red cheeks and dry lips, the effects of the fever. He stepped closer, tugging a stray lock of hair behind her ear, his touch gentle despite the steel reputation that surrounded him.