Elián;
"You're not him, are you?"
I blink blankly as I stare at the terrifying man before me. I don't answer his question, because I can't. Yet, my silence seems to be an answer enough. An answer that brightens Balinar's face like something he's been waiting months to hear.
His delight sends shivers down my spine and goosebumps along my skin. His mouth curves like he's just been handed a gift he's dreamed of for years, and that certainty in his eyes worsens my fear.
Because it's crystal clear. He knows. He—
"Elián." Elien's voice threads through me, frightened in a way I've rarely heard it. "He knows…"
I gulp. Elien's confirmation doesn't make things better. It only deepens my understanding of how fucked we are.
I thought if I was taken, Elien and I could use our powers to get rid of Balinar….Maybe even these monsters, but—But knowing that there are two of us. That just dismantles everything I built in my head and exposes new threats.
