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Chapter 24

I stood frozen in front of Felis’s door, my hand still on the doorknob, as if it might offer some kind of protection. The moment I had arrived, I had hoped that seeing him would bring some sense of clarity or relief. Instead, all I felt was a crushing weight in my chest.

I hadn’t planned on breaking down. I hadn’t planned on telling him anything. But the second I stood there, ready to knock, I could feel the tears pushing up my throat, and I knew I couldn’t hold them back much longer.

Before I could gather myself enough to turn away or even think of an excuse, Felis opened the door. His expression softened when he saw me standing there, but it only took him a second to notice something wasn’t right.

He stepped back, motioning for me to come in, but as I stepped inside, his gaze immediately flickered to my cheek. The bruise was already starting to darken, and I could feel his eyes narrow with concern.

“Estella” Felis said quietly, his voice tinged with suspicion. “What happened?”

I couldn’t meet his eyes. My throat was too tight. The words wouldn’t come. I stood there in the doorway, trying to find a way to make it go away, trying to convince myself that this wasn’t really happening. But the pain was there sharp, familiar, and only growing stronger the longer I stood in front of him.

Felis stepped closer, his brow furrowed, eyes scanning my face. “Estella” he said again, more urgently this time. “What happened? Who did this?”

I finally managed to whisper, “It’s nothing. Just… just a little accident.” But even as I said it, I knew the lie was hollow. Felis didn’t buy it.

He didn’t say anything at first, but his silence spoke louder than anything else. I could see the frustration, the concern, and a flash of something darker in his eyes as he processed what I’d said.

“You’re lying” he said flatly, his voice calm but firm. “Who did this, Estella?”

I swallowed hard, feeling a lump form in my throat. I could feel my chest tightening, and the tears I had been holding back were finally starting to fall.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I whispered, my voice breaking. The tears came faster now, and I couldn’t stop them. I could feel the weight of everything crushing me, and I didn’t want to burden him with it.

Felis didn’t say anything, but I felt him pull me into a tight hug, his arms enveloping me like a shield. And for the first time in a long time, I let myself just fall apart.

Felis held me for a moment longer, and I could feel his concern wrapped tightly around me. His arms were a comfort, but the sting of the bruise on my cheek and the weight of everything pressing on me made it hard to breathe.

He pulled back slightly, his hands still on my shoulders as he looked at me, his expression soft but guarded, like he was searching for something in my eyes.

“Estella,” he said quietly, his voice low and careful, “was it Noah?”

The question hung in the air, heavy and direct, like he already knew the answer. I froze for a second, the words hitting me like a slap.

I shook my head quickly, trying to stop the wave of panic from crashing over me. “No,” I whispered, my voice shaky. “No, it wasn’t him.” I wiped at my tears, forcing myself to steady my breath. “It wasn’t Noah.”

Felis didn’t seem convinced. His eyes never left mine, and the silence between us stretched, thick with unspoken understanding.

“Then who?” he asked, his tone a little more insistent now. “Estella, you don’t have to protect anyone, okay? If it was him, I need to know.”

The way he said it made something inside me twist. He was right. I didn’t need to protect anyone not anymore. But the truth was, I couldn’t bring myself to say it. I couldn’t tell him that it had been our mother.

“It’s just…” I trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. My mind raced, searching for a way to explain the violence without actually saying the words. “It’s complicated” I whispered, my voice cracking. “I just... didn’t expect it, you know? Not from her.”

Felis’s grip on my shoulders tightened, his gaze softening. “I don’t care who it was, Estella. I just want you to be safe. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

I looked up at him, his words sinking into me, the reassurance settling over the chaos in my mind like a cool balm. “I don’t want to be alone,” I whispered. “I don’t know how to fix things anymore. I just…” My voice faltered, but I managed to get the words out. “I just wanted to have my brothers back. I wanted to tell her, and I thought maybe things would be different, but now…”

Felis nodded, his expression softening, though his jaw was still tight. “You can’t change what happened. But you can change what happens next. You don’t need to carry this alone, Estella. I’m here, and so is Noah, and we’ll figure this out together.”

I leaned into him again, feeling the weight of his words settle over me, even if the future still seemed uncertain. At least for tonight, I didn’t have to face it alone.