The night smelled of smoke. Evelyn's hands trembled as she held onto Silas, his weight leaning heavily against her shoulder. His shirt was scorched at the edges, blood seeping from a gash along his arm. His face was pale, lips pressed tightly as if every step threatened to break him apart.
"Just a little farther," Evelyn whispered, though her own voice cracked. Her throat burned from both smoke and tears. "Please, Silas....don't give up on me now."
His eyes flicked toward her, hazel dim but alive. "I'm not going anywhere." He forced a smile that faltered almost instantly. "Not without you."
The words pierced her, fragile and sincere, and Evelyn's grip tightened on him. She lowered him gently onto the grass, the orange glow of the burning building flickering behind them. Her heart raced, torn between relief and dread Silas was alive, but Edgar's shadow still loomed.
Amara appeared at her side, her face unreadable as she crouched. "He needs tending before he bleeds out." Her tone was calm, efficient, almost too calm given what they had just endured. She pressed her scarf against Silas's wound, her hands steady.
Evelyn blinked through tears, brushing soot from Silas's cheek. "We need to get him home. I can treat him there."
Silas gave a weak laugh, wincing. "Since when did you become a nurse?"
Evelyn's lips curved into a shaky smile. "Since the moment you decided to almost die in front of me."
Amara's gaze lingered on Evelyn soft, almost yearning before she looked away quickly, jaw tightening. "We'll get him home," she said firmly. "But he shouldn't be walking." Without waiting, she shifted Silas's arm around her shoulders, taking more of his weight than Evelyn expected. Her strength startled Evelyn, but there was no time to question it.
The walk back was heavy with silence. Evelyn's thoughts were a storm: the flames consuming the building, the twisted grin Edgar had worn before disappearing into the inferno, and the terrifying image of losing Silas forever. She clutched Silas's hand tightly, needing the reassurance of his warmth.
When they finally reached Evelyn's house, she hurried him into the bathroom. The dim light buzzed above as she sat Silas on the edge of the tub. Her fingers worked clumsily at first fetching bandages, cleaning cloths, a bottle of antiseptic.
"Easy," Silas murmured, watching her with tired eyes. "I've survived worse."
"Don't say that," Evelyn whispered sharply, her hands pausing. Her chest rose and fell quickly, panic bubbling up again. "You almost didn't survive this."
Their eyes met, and in the silence that followed, Evelyn leaned closer, her breath brushing against his cheek as she carefully tied the bandage around his arm. Her hands lingered, trembling.
"Thank you," Silas said softly. "For coming back for me. Even when-" His voice broke. "Even when it meant risking yourself."
Evelyn's lips quivered. She wanted to tell him she'd always come back, no matter what, but the words caught in her throat. Instead, she pressed a small, fleeting kiss to his temple, her cheeks burning as soon as she did it.
Silas froze, then smiled faintly through the exhaustion. "Guess I'm in good hands."
From the doorway, Amara stood watching silently, her shadow stretching long against the wall. Her eyes flickered between them, unreadable dark with something unspoken before she finally said, "He needs rest."
Evelyn glanced at her, startled by the flatness of her tone, but nodded. She guided Silas to her room, helping him onto the bed. Silas let out a low sigh, sinking into the mattress, his lashes fluttering shut. Evelyn sat beside him, refusing to move, her fingers entwined with his.
Amara leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching them both with a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
And for a fleeting second, Evelyn thought she saw something....something sharp...hidden beneath her friend's calm gaze.
But then Amara blinked, her face soft again, and Evelyn brushed it off as exhaustion playing tricks.
---
The night was long, but Evelyn never left Silas's side. She stayed perched on the edge of her bed, one hand resting lightly on his, listening to the slow, steady rhythm of his breathing. At some point, exhaustion dragged her down too, and she drifted off with her head resting on his shoulder.
Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, soft and golden. Evelyn stirred, blinking against the brightness. For a fleeting moment, the nightmare of the fire, Edgar's grin, and Silas's near-death felt like nothing but a dream. Then she shifted and realized she was still curled against Silas's chest, his arm draped loosely around her waist.
Her cheeks flushed instantly. She should've pulled away but she didn't. Instead, she let herself sink a little closer, listening to the beat of his heart beneath her ear.
"You're awake," Silas murmured, his voice rough from sleep.
Evelyn stiffened, then lifted her head. His hazel eyes were open now, tired but brighter than the night before. He smiled faintly, the corner of his lips curving up. "Guess we survived another night."
Her throat tightened, tears threatening. "Don't joke about that. I thought I lost you."
Silas's gaze softened, and without thinking, he brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. "I told you," he said quietly, "I'm not leaving without you."
The weight of his words settled between them, heavy and real. Evelyn's breath hitched. She wanted to say something back, but before she could, Silas gently pulled her closer, and she let herself fold into him. His warmth, his steady heartbeat, the way his hand lingered at her back it made her feel safe for the first time in days.
They stayed like that, wrapped up in each other, the world outside their little cocoon forgotten. Evelyn could've sworn her chest ached not from fear anymore, but from something sweeter, something she didn't dare name aloud.
From the doorway, a soft creak echoed. Evelyn lifted her head to see Amara leaning there, her arms crossed loosely, a small smile on her lips.
"Glad to see you're alive, Silas," she said smoothly, though her eyes flicked to where Evelyn's hand rested on his chest. Her smile didn't falter, but something in it seemed tight, brittle.
Silas gave a weak chuckle. "You'll have to try harder than fire to get rid of me."
Amara stepped inside, her presence shifting the air. She set a tray of tea and toast on the bedside table, her movements precise, controlled. "You both need strength. Eat, then rest more. We don't know if Edgar's really gone."
Her words made Evelyn shiver. The reminder of Edgar's shadow snapped the fragile peace, but Evelyn squeezed Silas's hand before pulling back. "We'll figure out what to do next," she said firmly.
Amara's gaze lingered on her....longer than necessary before she looked away, her expression unreadable. "Of course," she murmured.
Silas caught Evelyn's eyes, and for a moment, it was just them again, a silent promise hanging between their glances.
But Evelyn couldn't shake the prickle down her spine as Amara poured tea, her hands steady, her smile too perfect.