CRIMSON COVENENT

Chapter 3: The Weight of Truth

The library felt heavier with each passing second. Jace’s sharp gaze and Lizzy’s quiet patience bore into Nelsy as he fiddled with the cap of the water bottle. His secret had been his burden alone for so long, and now, with the two people he trusted most staring at him, waiting for answers, the enormity of revealing it threatened to crush him.

“Okay,” Nelsy began, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll tell you. But it’s not…normal.”

Jace arched a brow, his skepticism apparent. Lizzy, however, nodded encouragingly, leaning forward in her chair.

“I wasn’t born like everyone else,” Nelsy said, avoiding their eyes. “I’m…connected to something ancient. Something magical.” He hesitated, watching their reactions. Jace’s brow furrowed, but Lizzy stayed silent, urging him to continue.

“I can control energy,” he said, raising his hand. A faint, golden light flickered in his palm, casting soft shadows on the library’s wooden table. Lizzy gasped, but Jace’s expression darkened, his eyes narrowing.

“That thing in the forest,” Nelsy continued, extinguishing the light. “It was drawn to me because of this. I don’t know why or how, but the forest... it calls to me. It always has.”

Lizzy reached out, her hand brushing his. “Nelsy, this is incredible,” she said softly. “You’ve been living with this alone? All this time?”

“Yeah,” he admitted, his voice trembling. “It’s not something you can just…talk about. People don’t believe in magic, Lizzy.”

“I believe it now,” she said with a faint smile.

Jace, however, wasn’t as easily convinced. “This doesn’t add up,” he said, his voice tinged with suspicion. “Why you? Why now? Magic doesn’t just exist without reason. There’s always a cost.”

Nelsy met Jace’s gaze, a flicker of unease passing between them. “I don’t know the full story,” Nelsy confessed. “My parents always told me to hide it, to never use it. They said it was dangerous, but they never explained why.”

“Well, it just became dangerous,” Jace snapped. “That thing we saw—it wasn’t just some random monster. It came for you, and it’s not going to stop.”

“Jace!” Lizzy shot him a glare. “He’s already scared enough without you making it worse.”

“I’m not trying to scare him,” Jace countered, his tone softening slightly. “I’m trying to make sure we’re prepared. If this is real—and clearly it is—we’re all involved now, whether we like it or not.”

Nelsy sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. I’ve always kept it under control. But the forest... it’s changing. I can feel it.”

“Then we need to figure out why,” Lizzy said decisively. “If the forest is tied to your magic, maybe it holds the answers you’ve been looking for.”

Jace crossed his arms, his analytical side taking over. “There’s a ton of folklore about the forest. The library has a restricted section with old records and myths. I’ve done some digging there before for a research project. If we’re going to make sense of this, that’s where we start.”

“You’re helping?” Nelsy asked, surprised.

Jace shrugged, his expression unreadable. “If the forest keeps throwing monsters at us, I’d rather know why. Plus, someone needs to keep you alive until you figure out what you’re doing.”

Nelsy couldn’t help but smile faintly at the dry humor. “Thanks, I guess.”

“Don’t mention it,” Jace said, standing. “Literally. Don’t mention it to anyone.”

That night, Nelsy lay awake in his dorm, staring at the ceiling as the weight of everything settled in. Lizzy’s unwavering support warmed him, but Jace’s guarded skepticism lingered in his mind.

Why had the forest chosen now to act? The call had always been subtle, a faint whisper in his subconscious. But now, it was a roar, demanding his attention, threatening to unravel the delicate balance he’d maintained.

He turned to the window, where the silhouette of the forest loomed against the night sky. He could feel its pull, stronger than ever, like a heartbeat syncing with his own. Whatever secrets it held, they were waiting for him.

And for the first time, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to know the truth.