Chapter 3
755 Words
I stood there for a moment after my father finished speaking.
Then he turned and walked away.
Vaelor followed immediately, silent and composed, his presence steady behind my father as they moved toward the stairs. Nothing about his steps changed—same control, same discipline, like he had already decided exactly how he was supposed to exist in this house.
At the top of the stairs, he paused.
Just for a second.
And looked back.
Our eyes met.
Again.
That same quiet pull from before returned—brief, unspoken, but strangely heavy for something that lasted less than a heartbeat.
Then he turned away and followed my father upstairs.
I stayed where I was.
Watching until they disappeared.
My chest felt… unsettled.
Not loud. Not dramatic.
Just a slow awareness I couldn’t shake off.
I exhaled softly and shook my head.
“What is wrong with me?” I whispered.
Without thinking too much, I turned and went upstairs.
My room felt too quiet when I entered it. I didn’t sit down. I didn’t even pause. I grabbed my phone from the bed almost immediately.
Lyssara.
That was the only person I wanted right now.
My fingers moved quickly as I dialed her name and pressed the phone to my ear.
It rang once.
Twice.
Then her voice came through, loud and already annoyed.
“Zarelle? Wow. Look who remembers I exist.”
A small laugh escaped me as I dropped onto my bed.
“Shut up. I always remember you.”
“Mmm,” she dragged the sound out. “You only call this fast when something interesting happens. Start talking.”
I sighed dramatically, staring at the ceiling.
“You have no idea how crazy my morning has been.”
“Oh?” she said instantly. “Now I’m listening.”
I turned slightly on the bed.
“I woke up with that heat again.”
There was a pause.
Then—
Lyssara burst out laughing.
“Zarelle, please. Not again.”
“Yes, again,” I groaned. “And you weren’t here.”
“That sounds like your personal struggle,” she teased.
“You’re evil.”
“I know,” she said proudly. “So what did you do?”
I rolled my eyes.
“I handled it.”
Her laugh got louder. “Of course you did.”
I smiled despite myself.
“But that’s not why I called.”
Her tone shifted slightly. “Go on.”
“My dad brought someone home today.”
“Another guard?” she asked immediately.
“Yes.”
There was a short silence.
Then she said, “Your father really collects bodyguards like accessories.”
I exhaled. “This one is different.”
That got her attention.
“How different?”
I stared at the wall for a second.
“Tall.”
“Obviously,” she said.
“Very tall.”
“Zarelle.”
“And built,” I continued. “Like… seriously built. Not just strong. Controlled strong. Like a weapon that knows exactly what it is.”
Now she was quiet.
“Okay,” she said slowly. “Keep going.”
“He barely talks,” I added. “But when he does, it’s… steady. Like nothing can shake him.”
“And?” she pressed.
“And his eyes…” I paused. “They feel like they notice everything.”
Lyssara let out a low whistle.
“Oh, you’re in trouble.”
“I am not.”
“You are describing him like a problem.”
I scoffed. “I’m just telling you what I saw.”
She hummed. “I need to see him.”
“You will.”
“I’m coming over.”
“Good.”
I ended the call with a small smile and sat up.
For a moment, I just stayed there.
Then I walked to the window.
Outside, everything looked normal.
Too normal.
Until I saw him.
Vaelor.
Standing near the side path, still and alert, like the world around him didn’t deserve his attention unless necessary.
Even from here, I recognized him instantly.
He didn’t move much.
Just scanned.
Watched.
Existed like silence given form.
Then, slowly—
His head tilted.
His eyes lifted.
Straight to my window.
Straight to me.
My breath caught.
I didn’t move.
Neither did he.
For a second, everything went quiet in a way that felt intentional.
Like the world had paused without permission.
Then he looked away first.
And that bothered me more than it should have.
- Writer
