Chapter 224
The new man in town was hard to miss. He moved through the streets with an air of quiet authority, his sharp features and cold demeanor drawing uneasy glances. He introduced himself as “Mr. Mercer,” a private investigator looking into the disappearances of hikers in the area.
Matthew first spotted Mercer at the general store, chatting casually with the clerk while his piercing gaze scanned the room. The way his eyes lingered on anyone too long made Matthew’s stomach churn with unease.
That evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Matthew stepped outside the cabin to split some firewood. He froze mid-swing when he saw Mercer at the edge of the clearing, standing unnaturally still.
“Can I help you?” Matthew called, his voice firm.
Mercer smiled thinly, his eyes narrowing. “Just admiring the view. Beautiful property you have here.”
Matthew’s grip tightened on the axe. “It’s private property.”
“Of course,” Mercer said smoothly, tipping his hat before turning and walking away. But something about his retreat felt calculated, as if he were testing boundaries.
Inside the cabin, Elyra and Dain sat at the table, both tense.
“Who was that man?” Elyra asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Someone we don’t need to talk to,” Matthew said gruffly. “Keep your distance from him.”
Later that night, Elyra and Dain sat by the window, watching the shadows beyond the treeline. The moon hung high in the sky, casting silver light over the clearing.
“He knows,” Dain said finally, his voice low. “That man knows we’re different.”
Elyra shivered, pulling a blanket around her shoulders. “What are we going to do?”
Dain’s orange eyes glowed faintly in the dim light. “We’ll protect ourselves. No matter what.”
As the hours passed, neither of them slept, their unease growing with every creak of the floorboards and rustle of the wind outside.
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