By The Moon's Light

Too Close to Ignore

Chapter 20 – Too Close to Ignore

Malikye’s POV

We didn’t stop after the fight.

We never did.

The Veilwood stretched endlessly ahead of us, silver light slipping through the trees in fractured beams that barely touched the forest floor. The deeper we moved, the quieter it became—not peaceful, but watchful. The kind of silence that pressed in around you, waiting for something to break it.

Something always did.

The air felt heavier now, colder against my skin, and the connection I had to the magic around me made it impossible to ignore. The forest wasn’t resisting me anymore.

It was aware of me.

And I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing.

I walked beside Lyra again.

Not by accident.

Not anymore.

The distance between us had narrowed without either of us addressing it, like it had simply become understood. Our steps fell into rhythm, our awareness overlapping in a way that made the silence between us feel less empty… and more charged.

I glanced at her briefly.

She caught it immediately.

“You’re doing it again,” Lyra said.

“Doing what?” I asked.

“Staring,” she replied.

“I’m not staring,” I said.

“You are,” she said.

“I’m observing,” I corrected.

“That’s worse,” she said, though there was a faint shift at the corner of her mouth.

I huffed a quiet breath.

“I feel like I should be allowed to observe the person who keeps saving me,” I said.

She glanced at me this time.

“I didn’t save you,” Lyra said.

I raised an eyebrow slightly.

“You stepped in front of something that would’ve taken my head off,” I said. “That feels like saving.”

“You were too slow,” she replied.

“That doesn’t mean I needed help,” I said.

“It means you’re still learning,” she said.

I let out a quiet breath, shaking my head.

“You do realize that’s not as reassuring as you think it is,” I said.

“I’m not here to reassure you,” she replied.

“I’m noticing a pattern with that,” I muttered.

We walked a few more steps in silence, the forest narrowing again around us, shadows thickening as the moonlight struggled to reach the ground. The mark in my palm pulsed faintly, not urgent—but not calm either.

A warning.

I slowed slightly.

Lyra noticed immediately.

Her posture shifted, her hand hovering closer to her blade.

“You feel that,” she said.

“Yes,” I replied quietly.

“Not Hollow,” she added.

“No,” I said. “Something else.”

The air tightened.

Then—

Movement.

Fast.

Too fast.

Something slammed into me from the side, knocking me off balance before I could react. I hit the ground hard, rolling instinctively as the shape slipped past me again, barely visible in the shadows.

“Malikye!” Lyra’s voice cut through the silence.

“I’m fine!” I called back, pushing myself up.

The creature moved again—quick, precise, circling us like it was studying, calculating.

I raised my hand slowly, the mark flaring faintly as the power stirred, waiting for the right moment instead of reacting blindly.

It struck again.

Toward Lyra.

I saw it a second before she did.

“Lyra—”

I didn’t think.

I moved.

My hand caught her arm, pulling her sharply toward me just as the creature’s strike sliced through the space she had been standing in. The force of it sent us both off balance, my back hitting one of the trees as she collided with me.

And then—

We didn’t move.

Not right away.

Her hands were braced against my chest.

My arm still around her.

Her breath quick.

Mine uneven.

Too close.

Way too close.

“You need to stop doing that,” she said, her voice lower now.

“Saving you?” I asked.

“That’s not what I meant,” she said.

“Then you’re going to have to be more specific,” I replied.

Her eyes flicked to mine.

And stayed there.

“You’re distracting,” she said.

I blinked.

“…I’m distracting?” I repeated.

“Yes,” she said.

“I feel like that’s unfair given the current situation,” I said.

Her lips twitched slightly.

“This is not the time,” she said.

“You keep saying that,” I replied.

“Because it keeps being true,” she said.

I leaned slightly closer without thinking.

“It’s a very inconvenient truth,” I said quietly.

For a second—

She didn’t pull away.

Didn’t move.

Her breath caught just slightly.

Then—

The moment snapped.

The creature moved again.

We reacted instantly this time.

Together.

No hesitation.

No delay.

She stepped forward as I raised my hand, her blade striking in perfect sync with the controlled surge of power I released. The silver light hit first, forcing the creature into form just long enough for her strike to follow through.

It faltered.

Then shattered.

Gone.

The forest fell silent again.

But the air felt heavier now.

Different.

I lowered my hand slowly, my breathing still uneven, though not entirely from the fight.

“…we’re getting good at that,” I said.

Lyra exhaled, stepping back slightly.

“Don’t get used to it,” she said.

“I’m definitely going to get used to it,” I replied.

She shook her head, but there was that faint smile again before she turned away.

Kael approached, his gaze sharp, scanning the area.

“That wasn’t Hollow,” Kael said.

“No,” I replied. “It was faster.”

“Smarter,” Lyra added.

Selene stepped closer, her expression thoughtful.

“Damon is adapting,” Selene said.

I let out a slow breath.

“Of course he is,” I muttered.

Kael looked ahead into the forest.

“Then we don’t slow down,” Kael said.

“I didn’t think we would,” I replied.

Lyra stepped forward, then paused just slightly before glancing back at me.

“You coming?” she asked.

I met her gaze.

“For now,” I said.

She held my gaze for a second longer than necessary.

Then nodded.

And turned.

I followed without hesitation.

Because at this point—

Walking beside her didn’t feel like a choice anymore.

It felt like instinct.

And that might’ve been the most dangerous thing of all.