THE HEART BETWEEN SHADOWS

Chapter two

**The Stranger at the Door**

~Laluna’s POV

The knocking came again.

Bang.

Bang.

Bang.

Not loud.

Not frantic.

Deliberate.

Like whoever stood outside already knew someone was home.

Laluna looked from the door to her grandmother.

"Are you expecting someone?"

Her grandmother didn't answer.

Instead, she crossed the kitchen in hurried steps and shut the back door. Her hands shook as she pulled the curtains closed.

That wasn't like her.

Abuela Carmen never panicked.

Not when the electricity went out.

Not when Laluna broke every glass in the cupboard trying to "help."

Not even when she accidentally set the kitchen towel on fire at fourteen while attempting a simple warming spell.

She always had a solution.

Until now.

"Laluna." Her grandmother's voice was barely above a whisper. "Go to the basement."

"The basement?"

"Now."

Laluna frowned.

"We don't even use the basement."

"I know."

Another knock.

This time slower.

More patient.

Whoever it was... wasn't leaving.

"Abuela, you're scaring me."

"I know."

"Then tell me what's happening."

"I can't."

Laluna stared at her.

There it was again.

The familiar wall.

Every time the conversation drifted too close to magic or their family, her grandmother shut it down.

"You're too young."

"Not yet."

"One day you'll understand."

She'd heard those words her entire life.

"I'm not going downstairs until you explain."

Her grandmother closed her eyes.

"You've always been as stubborn as your mother."

The sentence hit harder than expected.

My mother.

A subject they rarely touched.

Laluna opened her mouth—

The knocking stopped.

Silence.

Neither of them moved.

Then...

A voice.

"Mrs. Navarro?"

Male.

Young.

Polite.

"I know you're home."

Laluna frowned.

"You know him?"

"No."

Her grandmother answered too quickly.

"You’re terrible at lying."

"What?"

"You looked at the door before he even spoke."

Carmen sighed.

"I don't know him."

"But you know why he's here."

No answer.

"Laluna..."

"I'm opening the door."

"You will do no such thing."

"I can't ignore someone forever."

"You can tonight."

Laluna walked toward the entrance anyway.

Her grandmother caught her wrist.

For a woman in her seventies...

Her grip was surprisingly firm.

"Listen to me."

Laluna looked down at their joined hands.

The silver ring on her grandmother's finger glowed for the briefest moment.

So faint she almost missed it.

Her heartbeat quickened.

Magic.

Real magic.

Not herbs.

Not old family traditions.

Magic.

Her grandmother noticed where she was looking and quickly released her.

"You saw nothing."

"I did."

"You imagined it."

"I didn't."

The doorbell rang.

Once.

Short.

Patient.

Laluna looked toward the door.

Then back at her grandmother.

"I'm opening it."

Without waiting for permission, she reached for the handle.

The door swung open.

Standing in the hallway...

Was the man from the pharmacy.

He looked just as surprised to see her.

"...You."

Laluna folded her arms.

"You've got to be kidding."

He blinked.

"You live here?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

"I don't."

He rubbed the back of his neck.

"My company owns the building next door."

"So?"

"We're surveying the neighboring properties."

"At eight o'clock?"

He looked mildly embarrassed.

"When you say it out loud..."

"It sounds ridiculous."

"...A little."

Behind her, Carmen stepped into view.

The moment the young man saw her...

His expression changed.

Recognition.

Not certainty.

More like a memory he couldn't quite reach.

"Mrs. Navarro?"

Carmen remained silent.

"My name is Thiago Serrano."

Laluna glanced between them.

"You've met?"

Both answered at the same time.

"No."

"...I don't think so."

Laluna narrowed her eyes.

"Which is it?"

Thiago looked confused.

"I'm sorry. It's just..."

He frowned at Carmen.

"I could've sworn I've seen you before."

Carmen's smile was polite.

"I've lived in this neighborhood for forty years. That's possible."

He nodded slowly.

"Maybe."

There was an awkward silence.

Finally, Thiago held out a folder.

"My company is beginning restoration work on the old Valverde building."

Laluna accepted it.

"So?"

"There are concerns about the shared foundation."

She skimmed the papers.

Technical drawings.

Construction permits.

Inspection notices.

"We'll need access to your basement."

Every muscle in Carmen's body stiffened.

"No.”

Thiago looked up.

"I'm sorry?"

"I said no."

He smiled politely.

"I understand it's inconvenient, but it's only an inspection."

"No."

His smile faded slightly.

"Mrs. Navarro, legally—"

"No."

Laluna sighed.

"Abuela..."

"The answer is no."

Thiago looked at Laluna instead.

"Maybe you could explain why."

"I wish I could."

She honestly did.

Because her grandmother's reaction made absolutely no sense.

"It's just a basement."

"No."

Carmen's voice cracked.

"It isn't."

The words hung in the air.

Laluna slowly turned toward her.

"What do you mean?"

Carmen realized what she'd said.

Too late.

She forced another smile.

"I mean..."

"It's old."

Laluna wasn't buying it.

Neither was Thiago.

He studied Carmen for a long moment before speaking.

"My father always says old buildings hide the best stories."

Something flickered across Carmen's face.

Fear.

Real fear.

Thiago noticed it too.

He frowned.

"I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't."

"You seem upset."

"I'm tired."

Laluna had known her grandmother her entire life.

She had never seen her lie so badly.

Thiago took a small step back.

"I'll come back another day."

"No."

The word slipped out before Laluna could stop it.

Both of them looked at her.

She cleared her throat.

"I mean..."

"If you're coming back anyway..."

She held up the folder.

"I'll read these first."

A faint smile appeared on Thiago's face.

"For someone who looked ready to slam the door in my face..."

"You nearly deserved it."

He laughed.

It was warm.

Unexpectedly so.

"I'll take that as progress."

"I wouldn't."

He started walking away, then paused halfway down the corridor.

Without turning around, he asked,

"Can I ask you something?"

Laluna leaned against the doorway.

"You just did."

He smiled to himself.

"Do strange things ever happen around you?"

Her breath caught.

"What kind of strange things?"

"I don't know."

He frowned.

"I've had the weirdest headache since this morning."

Laluna's pulse quickened.

"The pharmacy."

He turned.

"You remember."

"You bought painkillers."

"I've been hearing things ever since."

She froze.

"Hearing... what?"

He hesitated.

"This is going to sound insane."

"Try me."

"I can hear people's heartbeats."

Silence.

Laluna's fingers tightened around the folder.

Thiago gave an awkward laugh.

"See? Sounds crazy."

He walked away before she could answer.

She remained frozen in the doorway.

Heartbeats.

Her grandmother had warned her that some creatures could hear the truth inside a heartbeat.

But that wasn't possible.

Those stories were centuries old.

Extinct.

Weren't they?

Behind her, Carmen whispered a prayer in a language Laluna hadn't heard since she was a child.

When Laluna turned around...

Her grandmother wasn't looking at Thiago.

She was staring at the old leather journal sitting on the kitchen table.

The one she had f*******n Laluna from ever opening.

With trembling hands, Carmen picked it up.

For the first time...

She placed it in Laluna's hands.

"If anything happens to me..."

Her voice broke.

"...read the first page."

Laluna looked up, confused.

"Abuela, what are you talking about?"

Carmen cupped her granddaughter's face.

"Because after tonight..."

A tear slipped down her cheek.

"...nothing in our lives will ever be ordinary again."