Chapter 4: Unwarranted Returns

The walk back from the lake was quiet, but Eve's mind was anything but. The silver-haired figure's voice lingered in her head, wrapping around her thoughts like a creeping vine. His presence had been otherworldly, unsettling. She couldn't shake the way he had spoken her name, like he had known her all her life. The image of those glowing silver eyes burned behind her eyelids, making her shudder.

Azreal, walking a step ahead of her, kicked at loose stones on the path. He hadn't spoken much since they left, and for once, Eve wasn't sure if she wanted him to. Whatever had happened at the lake had rattled him, too.

By the time they reached the estate, the halls were mostly silent, save for the distant flicker of torchlight and the occasional murmured conversation. Eve passed the guards without a word, making her way straight to her chambers.

But sleep did not come easily.

She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her fingers gripping the sheets. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him. The silver-haired figure. Heard his voice. Felt the air shift around her as if he were still near. It made her skin prickle, as though he was watching her from the darkness.

Her breath came uneven, shallow.

Then-

A knock at the door.

She shot up, heart pounding, before exhaling when she recognized the familiar, steady voice.

"Eve?"

Aunt Ymir.

Eve hesitated before answering. "Come in."

The door creaked open, and Ymir stepped inside, her expression unreadable. She crossed the room with the silent grace of someone who had spent centuries navigating the shadows. She didn't sit, didn't speak right away, just studied Eve with a gaze that made her feel like a child again.

Then, finally-

"What happened tonight?"

Eve tensed. She didn't answer immediately. Ymir wasn't asking for small details-she wanted the truth.

"Azreal was reckless again," Eve finally said, her voice quieter than she intended. "We ran into something-or someone."

Ymir narrowed her eyes. "Someone?"

Eve nodded. "A demon... or something else. He knew my name. Spoke like he was expecting me."

Ymir's expression darkened. "And Azreal?"

"He doesn't want to talk about it," Eve admitted. "But I could tell he felt it too. There was something wrong about that figure."

Ymir sighed, rubbing her temple. "And do you think this will have consequences?"

Eve didn't answer. She didn't want to answer.

Ymir studied her again, then simply nodded, as if she already knew. "Get some rest. Tomorrow may be... eventful."

Eve didn't sleep well that night.

Morning

She woke to a dull ache in her head and the faint glow of twilight slipping through the curtains. For a moment, she remained still, exhausted from a night of restless dreams filled with silver eyes and whispers she couldn't understand.

A sharp knock on her door forced her upright.

"Eve."

Aunt Ymir again.

She pushed herself up, rolling the stiffness out of her shoulders, before opening the door. Ymir stood tall, arms crossed.

"Chief Broch has summoned you to the council hall."

Eve blinked, shaking off the last remnants of sleep. "For what?"

Ymir didn't answer right away, and that made her uneasy.

"He didn't say," her aunt finally replied. "But you'd best not keep him waiting."

Eve frowned but didn't argue.

As she walked through the estate, she felt eyes on her. Some of the passing demons inclined their heads slightly-a mark of respect, but also caution. She was Eve Goken, after all. A warrior. The daughter of Chief Gokan, the late leader whose legacy still cast a long shadow.

Two demons stood near the entrance of the hall. They acknowledged her with a nod.

"You do your father's name proud," one of them murmured.

Eve didn't reply.

Inside the Council Hall

She entered the hall, expecting to see Chief Broch at the far end, waiting with that cold, unreadable gaze.

But he wasn't there.

Frowning, she scanned the room. Nothing but the flickering light of the torches and the echo of her own footsteps.

Her unease grew.

"Why would he summon me, only to not show up?" she muttered under her breath.

Something didn't sit right.

Instead of waiting, she turned and left the hall, deciding to walk through the training grounds. Maybe she could clear her head.

The Training Grounds

The scent of sweat and steel filled the air.

Demons were sparring, showcasing their strength, their agility. The crack of weapons against each other rang in the distance. Some stopped when they noticed her, their movements briefly faltering.

Eve watched in silence.

She had trained here once, years ago, before she was forced to become something more than just a fighter. Before she had become a warrior that others whispered about.

Then-

A shift in the air.

Something wrong.

She turned, heart suddenly racing. The courtyard was emptying as warriors moved to other parts of the estate. But in the far corner, where the torches didn't reach, a figure stood cloaked in shadow.

Watching her.

She felt her muscles tighten.

Then, a voice, smooth and taunting-

"Long time no see, miss."

The world seemed to slow.

She recognized that voice.

Eve's blood ran cold as the figure stepped forward, out of the darkness.

It was him.

Her uncle.

The man who had left.

The man she had sworn to never acknowledge again.

She clenched her jaw, fury burning through her veins.