Heat of Deception

Chapter 4: Secrets Beneath the Moonlight

The night was alive with shadows, the moonlight casting long, eerie beams through the trees that surrounded the estate. Nyx couldn’t shake the feeling that something was hidden beneath the surface of the world she thought she knew. The gentle whisper of the wind seemed to carry secrets, as if the night itself was trying to warn her.

She walked slowly through the garden, her thoughts swirling like a storm. Asher had been distant earlier, his dark eyes filled with a mixture of anger and something else—something she couldn’t quite decipher. Axel, on the other hand, had been unusually quiet, watching her with an intensity that both unsettled and intrigued her. It was as if both men were keeping their own set of secrets, and the truth was just out of reach.

Nyx’s hand brushed against the cool stone of the garden wall, her fingertips tracing the intricate carvings, the same symbols she had seen in the ancient book. The symbols that she couldn’t remember how to decipher. It was all connected. Her father’s disappearance, the dark magic she’d felt pulsing within her, and the unspoken tension between Asher and Axel. The pieces didn’t fit, but she knew that the answers lay just beyond her grasp.

A sudden rustle broke her thoughts, and she turned, her heart leaping in her chest. The silhouette of a figure emerged from the shadows, tall and imposing. Asher.

His presence was magnetic, drawing her in with an unspoken force. His eyes, glowing faintly in the moonlight, studied her with a piercing intensity that made her skin flush.

“You shouldn’t be out here alone,” Asher’s voice was low, almost a growl, the warmth of it sending a shiver through her.

“I needed some air,” Nyx replied, trying to steady her breath, her heartbeat still erratic.

Asher stepped closer, his gaze never leaving hers. “You’re not just out here for air. Something is troubling you. What are you looking for, Nyx?” His voice was soft, but there was an edge to it, a demand for truth.

She hesitated. The words were there, on the tip of her tongue, but the weight of the question lingered between them. What was she looking for? The truth? Or just an escape from the tangled mess of her emotions?

“I’m trying to understand,” she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I feel like there’s something I’m missing. Something important.”

Asher’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, Nyx thought she saw a flicker of regret in his eyes. He reached out, his hand brushing against her arm in a gesture so tender it made her breath catch.

“Be careful what you seek, Nyx. Not all truths are meant to be found.”

Before she could respond, a loud crash echoed from inside the mansion. Both of them froze. The sudden noise shattered the moment, and instinctively, they both turned toward the source.

“Stay here,” Asher commanded, his tone brokering no argument.

But Nyx, her curiosity burning brighter than ever, followed him. As they rushed toward the entrance, she couldn’t help but notice the tension in Asher’s posture, the way his muscles coiled as if ready for a fight. There was more to this than he was letting on, and she was going to find out what it was.

The doors swung open with a creak, revealing the dimly lit hallway inside. The air was thick with the scent of something metallic, and Nyx’s heart raced as they hurried toward the source of the commotion.

At the far end of the hall, Axel stood over a broken vase, his eyes narrowing as he noticed them approach. His posture was stiff, but his expression unreadable.

“What happened?” Asher demanded, his voice sharp.

Axel didn’t immediately respond. He glanced at Nyx, his gaze dark and distant. “A message,” he finally muttered, his voice colder than Nyx had ever heard it.

Nyx stepped forward, her heart thumping in her chest. “What do you mean, a message?”

Axel’s lips twisted into something resembling a smirk, but it was a hollow, empty gesture. “You’ll see soon enough.”

Before she could press him further, the distant howling of wolves echoed from the forest. A haunting sound that made her blood run cold.

“Not now,” Asher said through clenched teeth, his face pale. “The forest... it’s alive tonight.”

The words hung in the air, heavy with warning. Nyx could feel the weight of the secrets between them all pressing down, suffocating in its intensity. But it was clear now—whatever was happening, they were all caught in its web.

And there was no turning back.