Chapter 95: Chapter 95

DARAN

After dropping Jonea off at campus, I decided to meet up with Eve. There was something only she could do for me, and right now, I needed her help more than ever.

I found her in a quiet corner of the campus park, her arms crossed, looking like she’d been expecting me. Her gaze was intense, as if she already knew why I was there. When I walked up to her, she didn’t take her eyes off me, studying me with a sharp, questioning look.

“There’s something I need you to do,” I said, getting straight to the point.

Eve raised her eyebrows, looking clearly surprised. “What? You’re going to keep her by your side?” She looked at me skeptically, like she couldn’t quite wrap her head around my decision. “That’s a sudden change of heart,” she added with a flat tone, but I could hear the tension in her voice.

I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm under her penetrating stare. I knew keeping Jonea close was risky, and if anyone knew the dangers of that, it was Eve.

“Are you serious?” she asked again, like she needed confirmation. “Keeping her close is the most dangerous move, Daran. You know that, right? Isn’t everyone involved with you eventually targeted?”

“I know, Eve,” I said, a bit more firmly this time. “But keeping Jonea with me is the best option I have right now. I need to figure out what’s really going on, and until I do, I want Jonea safe under my watch. If anything happens to her, I’m the one who can protect her best.”

Eve was silent, just staring at me with worry in her eyes, which wasn’t something I saw often. Usually, she didn’t question my orders or my decisions, but this time was different. I could tell that she doubted this choice just as much as I did.

“Daran,” she murmured softly, her tone more serious now, “There’s one thing I don’t understand. Isn’t Jonea the person closest to you? You even live together. If someone’s trying to hurt you, why hasn’t she been the main target?”

I paused, thinking over her question. It wasn’t easy to answer, and I didn’t have a solid explanation. But I tried to calm her doubts.

“That’s exactly what’s both reassuring and suspicious, Eve,” I replied quietly. “I don’t know what this person really wants or what their goal is. That’s why I’m asking you to keep an eye on Jonea when she’s near you on campus. If she’s under my protection, at least I can ensure she’s safe. Owen’s too noticeable, and I don’t want to attract unwanted attention. So please, help me with this.”

Eve turned to me, looking sharply at me. This request might seem like a heavy burden for her, and I was well aware of that. Eve was a warrior, a true soldier, and protecting someone like Jonea wasn’t her usual task. I knew she probably felt like I was diverting her focus from the main mission.

“I can’t believe you’re asking me for this,” she said with a murky tone, her expression conflicted. Eve took pride in her role, and a task like this surely didn’t sit well with her.

I sighed, understanding the weight I was placing on her shoulders. “Eve, I trust you have strong instincts. You know when danger’s lurking, even when it’s not visible. Even though this isn’t the battle assignment you’d always wanted, sooner or later, we’ll face these people in a real fight.”

She held my gaze, tense but with no sign of refusal. But I knew that in her mind, she was weighing the huge risks that could come with keeping an eye on Jonea.

I waited, hoping she would accept my request without needing more explanation. This wasn’t just a usual task, and I knew she felt it too.

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JONEA

Today I asked Daran to take me to my favorite art store after class. I was running low on painting supplies, and I’d been wanting to come here for ages to stock up. This store has everything I need—from brushes, canvases, to all kinds of paint and colors—and it’s all a lot cheaper than other places.

Daran waited outside, parked, and said he’d join me in a minute. I wandered through the aisles, grabbing some paints, small canvases, and a few new brushes that I needed for my next painting project. All the colors neatly lined up on the shelves called out to me, tempting me to take them all home. Maybe I was overdoing it, but shopping for art supplies was always a little thrill for me.

Once I felt I’d gathered enough in my basket, I decided to head to the counter. As I turned to leave, I didn’t notice someone standing really close behind me. I turned too quickly and ended up bumping into him, sending everything in my basket spilling onto the floor.

“Oh, sorry! I’m so sorry!” I said, dropping down to start gathering my supplies. My heart raced with panic and embarrassment, but the guy I’d bumped into actually knelt down too, helping me pick things up. He grabbed a few of my brushes off the floor and handed them to me.

“Oh, thanks,” I mumbled, taking the brushes from him.

When our hands met, I looked up at his face, and for a second, I froze. This guy...he was seriously handsome. Handsome in a strange way, like something unreal, like he was a living painting. But his good looks weren’t exactly comforting; there was something about his face that made me feel on edge. His eyes were cold, almost dark, and his gaze was distant, as if he was hiding something dark and mysterious behind them.

Seconds passed, and I just stared, unable to pull my gaze away. Even though he had a slight smile, there was something unsettling about it, something that made the hair on my neck stand on end. His stare was intense and sharp, like he was trying to read my thoughts just with his eyes.

“Be careful,” he said in a low, warning tone.

All I could do was nod, feeling like I’d lost my voice. There was something strange about him that I couldn’t explain. When I glanced at him, I noticed an unusual mark on his forehead. It wasn’t an ordinary mark. I’d seen red markings on certain people at school, marks that usually meant they had some special power or influence. But the mark this guy had was different. On his forehead, the mark was pure black, like a shadow, and for some reason, it gave me chills.

Realizing I’d been silent too long, I quickly looked away. I tried to act normal, but my heart was racing. His gaze was still on me, even as I looked down, fumbling with the last few things in my basket.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I didn’t know who this guy was, but somehow, being near him made me feel... unsafe. The feeling was so strong that I felt like I needed to get out of there as fast as I could.

I grabbed my basket and stood up, but my legs felt stiff. It was weird, like I hadn’t fully escaped his presence.

“Jonea!”

I heard Daran’s voice calling from the store’s entrance, his familiar tone bringing me back to reality. I turned to look at Daran. He stood there with a slightly worried expression, probably wondering why I was still on the floor looking pale. I felt relieved to see him, and I almost smiled.

But when I turned back to where the strange guy had been standing, he was gone. There was no sign, no trace that he’d ever been there. Just an empty shadow on the floor where he’d stood a second ago. I blinked, trying to make sure I wasn’t imagining things.

But he’d really vanished, just like that.