The forest floor seemed endless beneath their hurried feet. Branches clawed at Aurelia's sleeves, leaves brushed against her hair, and the damp earth gave soft echoes of their frantic race. Malion kept up effortlessly, though Aurelia's lungs burned with each sharp inhale of night air. Still, she didn't let go of his hand until the line of dark trees thinned and the scattered glow of lanterns hinted at the edges of her village.
At last, they broke through the trees, their steps slowing near the quiet path that led to her neighborhood. The familiar sight of her house's rooftop peeking over the wooden fence offered her comfort, and she released Malion's hand with a sharp exhale, pressing her palm to her chest.
Malion tilted his head, studying her flushed face in the moonlight. His breathing hadn't changed from the run, calm as if he had only taken a stroll. "Why did you run?" he asked, his tone low but curious, as though he already suspected her answer wouldn't be the truth.
Aurelia froze mid-step, then turned her head toward him with quick calculation. "Why?" she repeated, buying herself a heartbeat. Then she lifted her chin, the corners of her lips twitching with practiced confidence. "Because I was preserving my dignity, of course. It is not proper for a young woman and a man to be caught alone together in the forest at night. People would gossip."
Her voice carried a note of finality, as though that explanation should settle everything.
Malion studied her in silence, eyes gleaming like silver under the half-moon. He gave a slow nod, as if considering the validity of her excuse. "Preserving your dignity," he echoed thoughtfully. "That makes sense."
Relief softened Aurelia's shoulders for the briefest moment, until his next words cut through the air. "Or," he added smoothly, "are you a wanted criminal?"
The question hit her like a slap. She spun toward him, eyes wide, her mouth parting in shock before her temper surged forward. "What sort of question is that?" she snapped, smacking his arm with the flat of her palm.
Malion clutched the spot dramatically, his lips curling into a grin as he gave a faint, mock whimper. "You wound me, lady."
"Lady, indeed!" Aurelia retorted, stepping back with a sudden flourish. She pinched the edges of her skirt and bent into a delicate curtsy, lowering her gaze like a fine court maiden. "I am every inch the picture of a lady."
The act was so exaggerated that Malion's chuckle slipped free before he could stop it. He shook his head, shoulders shaking lightly as he looked at her with that disarming grin. "That," he said, amusement lacing his tone, "was not what I witnessed a moment ago. You run like a thief on the gallows."
Her cheeks warmed, though she tried to mask it with a scowl. "Mock me all you want. I need to go home."
"Why so soon?" Malion's tone was teasing, but his eyes probed for more than jest.
"Because," Aurelia said firmly, turning on her heel, "it is nighttime. And I am not ready to die yet."
He frowned slightly, confused. "Die?"
"Yes," she said with sharp sarcasm. "Because my mother will kill me if she finds I've been out this late. She's frightening when she's angry."
She muttered the last part more to herself, though her expression betrayed the thought she didn't say aloud: Not that they would notice if I slipped in late anyway.
Malion caught it. The faint flicker of sadness across her face, the bitter thought unspoken but loud in her eyes. His smirk softened into something quieter.
"Will you come to the forest tomorrow?" he asked after a moment, his voice gentler than before.
Aurelia glanced at him, raising a brow. "Aren't you going back to your town?"
He gave a small shrug, his expression unreadable. "I have no friends. No family. I could be anywhere. It makes no difference."
Her heart tightened unexpectedly at his words. Loneliness clung to them, unspoken but heavy. Aurelia's sharp edges softened, her voice losing its bite. "Then don't worry. Meet me by the lake, near the forest, in the evening. It's quiet there."
She saw his face brighten, just slightly—a spark of surprise breaking through the calm mask he wore. And for the first time, Aurelia smiled. Not the polite curve she gave her mother, nor the mischievous grin she wore to taunt. But a true smile, warm and unguarded.
Malion stared, caught off guard. The world seemed to pause in that moment, the forest hush thickening around them. He had not expected her smile to be so disarming, so… human. For the first time in his memory, his chest tightened with something unfamiliar.
"Goodnight," Aurelia said quickly, turning away before the heat on her cheeks betrayed her. She walked toward her house, slipping past the gate with light steps.
Malion stayed where he was, watching her figure retreat. His lips curved into his familiar smirk, though this time it was tinged with triumph. He murmured to himself, "It seems we were fated after all. You came to me on your own."
He took a few steps forward, his eyes narrowing as he caught sight of the house she slipped into. "So this is where you live."
The night air shifted. Malion paused, then turned his head slightly. "Come out."
From the shadows of the fence, a man emerged, his posture stiff, his eyes darting nervously as though caught in a crime.
Malion's expression hardened, all traces of playfulness gone. "Who are you," he asked calmly, his voice dangerously soft, "and why are you following her?"
The man's lips trembled. "I—I wasn't following anyone."
In a blink, Malion was no longer where he stood. He appeared before the man with inhuman speed, so swift that the man barely had time to flinch. Malion's hand pressed lightly against the man's throat, not enough to choke but enough to freeze him.
"If you scream," Malion said, his voice a silken blade, "I'll kill you."
The man's eyes bulged, the scream in his throat dying into a pitiful squeak. His whole body shook.
"I'll ask again." Malion's gaze bored into him. "Why were you following her?"
The man's breath came in shallow gasps. "It—it was her sister!" he blurted out. "Her elder sister told me to keep an eye on her!"
Malion's jaw tightened. He pinched the man's wrist between two fingers, the pressure making pain ripple through the man's arm. The man's face contorted as he tried to hold back a whimper.
"Do you know what to do now?" Malion asked, his tone quiet but merciless.
The man nodded frantically, eyes brimming with terror.
Malion released him with a flick, and the man stumbled backward, clutching his wrist before fleeing into the night like a hunted rat.
Malion stood there in the silence that followed, his silver gaze drifting back to the house. "Why are there so many annoying people around you, Aurelia?" he muttered, his smirk returning, though it carried a sharper edge now.
Inside, Aurelia slipped through her bedroom window with practiced ease, her skirts rustling softly as her feet touched the floor. She let out a long breath of relief, brushing dirt from her palms. At least she had made it back unseen.
She sat on the edge of her bed, replaying the evening in her mind. Malion's name. His questions. His smile when she offered to meet him again. She pressed her fingers to her lips, as if trying to hide the foolish grin that threatened to form.
Just as her thoughts drifted too far, a sharp knock rattled her door.
Aurelia froze, every muscle tensing.
"Aurelia," her mother's voice called from the other side. "Come out."
The words hung heavy in the air, filled with a weight that made Aurelia's stomach twist.