May forces herself to walk toward the man.
Every instinct screams at her to run.
Every step feels like stepping into cold water.
Her heartbeat is slamming so loudly that people passing by turn to stare.
But the man's smile doesn't falter.
It's calm.
Knowing.
Almost… pleased.
Zara grips May's wrist tightly. "May, please, let's just leave. Please—"
May gently pulls her hand away. "Stay behind me."
Zara hesitates, shaking, but obeys.
The man reaches the edge of the market's shade and stops, as if he doesn't want too many people close enough to hear.
Up close, he looks normal.
Perfectly normal.
A Ghanaian man in his late twenties.
Simple shirt, clean haircut, neat shoes.
But his eyes—
May can't hold their gaze for more than a second.
Because his eyes are empty in a way no living person's should be.
He tilts his head. "You came to me willingly," he says softly. "Interesting."
May swallows hard. "Why are you following me?"
He studies her, as if checking something in her face.
In her chest.
In her soul.
"You feel it again, don't you?" he says.
May stiffens.
Zara whispers sharply, "How does he know anything—"
The man ignores Zara completely.
His gaze never leaves May.
"I wondered how long it would take before your bond woke again. Kelron said you would try to resist."
May's blood turns cold.
"Who," she asks, voice steadying, "is Kelron?"
The man's smile widens subtly. "Ah. So he didn't tell you. He rarely tells his vessels anything." He steps closer — too close — and the air around him chills. "Kelron is the one who silenced your connection. And he will be the one to claim you."
May's stomach knots.
Zara grips her arm. "May, back up—"
But the man lifts a slow, almost gentle hand.
"Don't be afraid. I'm not here to harm you."
May steps back anyway. "You came after me."
"No," he corrects, "I found you. That is different."
Nathel's voice slams into her chest, furious:
"May—stop talking. Do not let him touch you. He is a conduit for Kelron."
May's voice wavers. "Why me?"
The man studies her expression, his smile turning sympathetic — almost eerily so.
"Because you are the last one left," he says softly.
"The last bond Kelron couldn't break."
May freezes.
"The others were destroyed," the man continues calmly, like discussing the weather. "Your bond was the only one that resisted. Even Kelron couldn't understand why."
A chill runs down May's spine.
Nathel's whisper tightens, sharp:
"May, I'm losing my hold—he's pulling at the bond. Move away, now—"
The man lifts a hand toward her cheek.
"May," he murmurs, "let me see what you've remembered. Kelron wants everything returned to him. Even your memories."
Zara shouts, "DON'T TOUCH HER!"
But she's too far.
He almost reaches May's skin—
And then—
Nathel hits.
Not physically.
Not with a body.
But with force.
A hard, invisible shove bursts outward from May's chest like a shockwave.
BOOM—
The man is thrown backward, slamming into a table of plantain chips. The vendor screams. People scatter.
Zara stares at May in horror. "MAY—what was THAT?!"
May clutches her chest as the echo of Nathel's energy burns like fire beneath her ribs.
Nathel's voice is ragged, strained:
"I can't hold the form. May, RUN!"
The man pushes himself up, brushing dust from his shirt. He's not hurt. Not surprised. Not even angry.
Just amused.
He tilts his head slowly, watching May with newfound interest.
"So," he says, "the bond has grown stronger."
May's breath stutters.
He steps forward again.
"You can't fight destiny, May. Kelron marked you long before Nathel ever touched you."
May's knees weaken.
"What does that mean?"
"It means," the man says softly, "that you were never Nathel's to keep."
May feels like the ground shifts under her feet.
The man steps into her shadow, lowering his voice:
"And whether he likes it or not… you are waking the thing that belongs to Kelron."
Nathel snarls through the bond, voice cracking:
"May—MOVE NOW!"
But the man moves first.
He grabs May's wrist.
For one heartbeat—
everything goes silent.
Zara screams.
May gasps.
The world blurs.
Her vision goes white—
then black—
then fills with thousands of broken memories, shattering and spinning.
Nathel's voice erupts like lightning:
"MAY—LET GO OF HIM—HE'S WIPING YOU—"
May tries to pull back—
but she's stuck.
The man's grip tightens.
Her memories begin to unravel.
She feels Nathel slipping.
She feels something ancient pushing into her mind—
Then May does something she doesn't understand.
She screams his name—
"NATHEL!"
And the bond explodes.
A surge of violent, blistering energy knocks the man backward so hard he slams into the ground, skidding across the dirt.
People scream.
Zara rushes to May's side.
The man slowly sits up, stunned.
Then he smiles.
A slow, delighted, chilling smile.
"Ahh," he breathes. "Now I understand."
He wipes blood from the corner of his lip.
"Kelron was wrong. He didn't break you."
He rises to his feet.
"You broke him."
May's heartbeat falters.
The man steps backward, disappearing into the crowd without another word.
Zara grabs May by both shoulders. "MAY—say something—are you okay?!"
May can't answer.
Because Nathel's voice has gone silent.
And the bond in her chest is flickering like a dying flame.