Ravihan's hands shook as he leaned against the cold hospital wall, trying to steady his breathing. Feriha watched him, confused and terrified. 🌀
"Who… who is she?" she whispered again.
Ravihan's jaw clenched. He didn't answer at first, his eyes tracing the hallway where the woman in the silver coat had disappeared.
"She's called Selene," he finally said, his voice low. "She's… the reason I lost my badge, my career, my family's trust; everything." 🌪
Feriha swallowed. "What does she want with the survivor? Or… with me?"
Ravihan shook his head. "She wants leverage. Always. And right now, the survivor is her bargaining chip."
Feriha's stomach churned. "And the lilies?"
He glanced at her, grim. "A signature. A calling card. She leaves them wherever she wants to warn us. Or taunt us." 🌼
Her mind spun. Someone leaving flowers before committing an act… and The Echo. And now Selene. All threads tangled together.
Ravihan's phone vibrated. He glanced at it and his eyes widened.
A message.
"Follow the lilies. You'll find her. But not alone."
Feriha's pulse quickened. "Who sent it?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he grabbed his jacket. "No time to explain. We follow the trail. And you stay close to me."
They left the hospital, moving quickly through the wet streets. Night had fallen, and the city lights reflected on puddles like broken glass.
A white lily lay on the hood of a parked car at the end of the street. Fresh. No note attached.
Feriha bent down, her fingers trembling as she picked it up. The petals were soft, almost fragrant, but the meaning was clear. Selene had been here. Very recently. 👩
Ravihan glanced around. "She moves fast. And she knows every shortcut in this city."
Feriha noticed something strange on the lily. A tiny symbol scratched into the stem: acircle with a line through it.
Her hands froze. She remembered the same symbol on the old map in the safe house. 🏬
"Ravihan… this is the same symbol," she said, voice trembling. "The one from the archive. The Glass Circle."
Ravihan's face darkened. "Exactly. They're leaving a trail. For us. Or maybe for someone else." 😫
Another street. Another alley. More lilies, placed deliberately;one by one,leading them deeper into the industrial district.
"Why would they do this?" Feriha asked. 🙃 "Why leave a trail? Why not just… end it?"
"Because it's not just about death," Ravihan said. "It's about control. And messages. They want you scared. They want you to feel hunted."
Feriha shivered. "I already do." 😥
Ravihan stopped suddenly. Ahead, in the shadows of a crumbling warehouse, he saw a faint figure moving. The coat shimmered silver in the dim light.
"Selene," he muttered.
She turned, slow and deliberate, and for a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. 🌬
Then she disappeared into the shadows inside the warehouse.
Ravihan exhaled sharply. "She wants us inside. And I don't like it."
Feriha's stomach twisted. "We have to go in?" 😕
Ravihan looked at her, serious and deadly calm. "Yes. If we want the survivor… and answers… we have no choice."
Feriha nodded, swallowing her fear. But deep down, she knew one truth: this warehouse was a trap. And stepping inside could be the last choice she ever made. 🧠