CRIMSON COVENENT

Chapter 2: Secrets Unveiled

The silence stretched between them, broken only by the faint rustling of leaves. Lizzy's mouth opened and closed as if searching for words that wouldn’t come. Jace, however, didn’t seem to struggle. His piercing gaze was locked on Nelsy, calculating, as though fitting pieces of a puzzle he’d been working on for years.

“What the hell was that?” Jace finally asked, his voice sharp but low.

“I... I don’t know,” Nelsy stammered, his fists clenched at his sides.

“That wasn’t nothing,” Jace said, stepping closer. “That glow, the wind—whatever just happened came from you.”

Lizzy shook her head, breaking her stunned silence. “Wait, are you saying Nelsy did that? How? That doesn’t make sense!”

Nelsy’s pulse pounded in his ears. The warmth lingering in his palms betrayed him, the residual energy from the forest’s call refusing to dissipate. He had spent years perfecting the art of hiding—avoiding questions, controlling his emotions, and suppressing his power. But this…this was undeniable.

“Look, it doesn’t matter,” Nelsy said quickly, avoiding their eyes. “We should just forget it and leave.”

But Jace wasn’t so easily dismissed. “Forget it? You’re standing in front of a glowing forest, practically summoning a storm, and you think we’re going to forget it?”

“Jace, give him some space,” Lizzy interjected, stepping between them. Her voice softened as she turned to Nelsy. “Hey, it’s okay. Just…talk to us. Whatever this is, we can figure it out together.”

Nelsy’s throat tightened. Lizzy’s kindness was a double-edged sword—comforting yet piercing because he knew she wouldn’t give up until she got answers. And Jace’s intensity wasn’t helping.

“I can’t,” Nelsy whispered. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try us,” Jace challenged.

Before Nelsy could respond, a low growl echoed from the forest. The sound sent a shiver down his spine, and the trio instinctively stepped closer to each other.

“What was that?” Lizzy whispered.

Nelsy’s stomach sank. The forest was restless, its magic stirring in ways it hadn’t before. Something—or someone—was coming.

“We need to leave,” Nelsy said, urgency lacing his voice.

But as they turned, a shadowy figure emerged from the trees. It moved with an unnatural fluidity, its form indistinct but menacing. Eyes glowing like embers locked onto Nelsy, and the growl deepened into an almost human snarl.

“Get behind me,” Nelsy ordered, surprising even himself with the authority in his tone.

“Nelsy, what are you—” Lizzy began, but she froze as Nelsy raised a hand.

A surge of energy burst from his palm, illuminating the shadowy figure in a brilliant flash. The creature recoiled, a guttural scream ripping through the air as it dissolved into wisps of smoke.

The light faded, leaving Nelsy’s arm trembling and the other two staring in stunned silence.

“What the…?” Jace breathed.

Nelsy swayed, exhaustion washing over him as the adrenaline ebbed. He caught Lizzy’s concerned gaze and Jace’s narrowed eyes before the world tilted, darkness creeping at the edges of his vision.

When Nelsy awoke, the first thing he noticed was the smell of old books and the soft hum of fluorescent lights. He blinked, recognizing the familiar surroundings of the campus library. Lizzy sat at his side, her hands wringing nervously.

“You’re awake,” she said, relief flooding her voice.

“What happened?” Nelsy croaked.

“You fainted,” Lizzy replied. “We carried you back here. Jace went to get water.”

Nelsy sat up slowly, wincing as his head throbbed. Memories of the forest, the creature, and the magic surged back.

“Lizzy, I—”

“Don’t,” she said, cutting him off. Her voice was firm, but her eyes brimmed with understanding. “You don’t have to explain everything right now. Just tell me one thing. Are you okay?”

Nelsy hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah. I think so.”

Lizzy’s shoulders relaxed, but her expression remained serious. “Good. But Nelsy, whatever this is…it’s not going away. And neither am I.”

Before he could respond, Jace returned, a bottle of water in hand. He tossed it to Nelsy without a word, then leaned against the table, arms crossed.

“You’ve got some explaining to do, Jay,” he said, his tone calm but unyielding. “Because whatever you’re caught up in, it’s bigger than you. And now, it’s bigger than us.”

Nelsy glanced between them, realizing that the fragile web of lies he’d spun around his life was unraveling. For the first time, he wasn’t sure if that was entirely a bad thing.