The frozen heart

Chapter 38: The Reckoning of Souls

Kaiden's recovery was faster than Anne had anticipated, and not because he took it easy. Even as he began to heal, his focus remained unwavering, eyes dark and determined as if his mind had already moved far beyond these four walls. Every morning, Anne found him propped up in bed, often leaning forward and adjusting his bandages himself, his jaw set in silent resolve.

"Slow down," she advised one morning, watching as he adjusted the wrappings around his wound. "You'll tear it open again if you keep pushing."

His gaze flickered to her, a flash of impatience in his eyes. "I've rested enough," he muttered, not quite snapping, but his voice held a firm edge. "I can't afford to sit idle."

Anne sighed, leaning against the bedpost. "Pushing yourself now won't get you there any faster. If you tear that wound open again, you'll be worse off than before."

For a moment, he didn't respond. His eyes dropped to the floor, lips pressing into a thin line as he tested his strength, bracing himself to stand. She could see the strain in the set of his jaw, the tension building in his clenched fists, as if his very will alone could close the gap between him and his target.

"Every day I spend here," he said at last, voice low and controlled, "is a day the Exorcist stays free."

He shifted, attempting to push himself to his feet. Anne moved forward instinctively, hand resting on his shoulder, urging him back down.

"Kaiden, listen," she said, her tone soft but firm. "This isn't a sprint. If you want to finish what you started, you need to get through recovery first. You have to give yourself time."

He stilled, and for a moment, she thought he'd relent. But then he shook his head, casting her a brief, steady glance.

"Time's a luxury I don't have." He fixed her with a stoic expression, his gaze devoid of any softness. "The Exorcist won't wait, and neither will I. I'll heal on the way if I have to."

The look in his eyes left no room for negotiation. Anne swallowed, the weight of his resolve settling in the space between them. She knew there was nothing she could say to change his mind, but she could at least offer one last piece of advice.

"Promise me, then," she said quietly. "Promise me that if it becomes too much, you'll rest, even if it's just for a moment."

He looked away, his silence answer enough. But as he rose, steadying himself, Anne noticed a subtle shift in his stance. Just a hint of hesitation. A fraction of doubt.

The night was still, the only sound the soft crackling of the dying fire in the hearth. Anne sat by the window, her knees pulled up to her chest, the cold stone beneath her sending a chill through her body. But her eyes weren't on the fire or the stars glittering in the vast sky outside. They were fixed on Kaiden, lying on the small bed across the room, his chest rising and falling in the steady rhythm of sleep.

Moonlight filtered through the narrow window, casting silvery beams across the room and illuminating Kaiden's face in soft shadows. His sharp features, usually hardened and alert, were softened in his sleep, but even in rest, the tension in his body was unmistakable. His brow furrowed slightly, as if he couldn't fully escape the weight he carried. His fists, half-curled by his sides, never fully relaxed. It was as if even in dreams, Kaiden was ready to fight, to survive.

Anne's heart tightened as she watched him, a deep pang of guilt mixing with something else, something she didn't want to fully acknowledge. She tried to remind herself of who he was, who he had become.

"He's not the boy I saved," she whispered to herself, barely audible in the stillness of the room. "He's grown. He's his own person now."

And he was. Kaiden was no longer the fragile, malnourished boy she had fed in secret all those years ago. The man lying before her now was someone entirely different—strong, independent, and undeniably dangerous. His transformation was undeniable. The power he wielded, the icy control he had learned to master—it set him apart, made him someone to be feared. But to her, he was still Kaiden. And that made everything so much more complicated.