Chapter 25 Silver Blade
Sylvie POV
I sat alone on the balcony long after leaving Zarek’s room.
The night air had turned colder, sharp enough to sting my skin, but I barely noticed it anymore. My mind kept replaying everything over and over again.
Hybrid.
Half vampire. Half werewolf.
The words still didn’t sound real.
My hands tightened around the blanket draped over my shoulders as I stared blankly into the dark forest beyond the compound walls.
I still remembered the look in Zarek’s eyes when he finally said it.
Like he’d spent years carrying something too heavy to survive.
I pressed my eyes shut briefly. Then immediately regretted it because the nightmare flashed again behind my eyelids.
My breathing became uneven again.
“You’ll freeze sitting out here like this.”
I startled slightly at the voice.
Mara stepped onto the balcony quietly, holding two steaming cups in her hands. The soft light from inside the room caught against her face as she walked toward me slowly.
I didn’t even hear her approach.
She handed me one of the cups carefully before sitting beside me.
For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.
The tea smelled calming. Something herbal. I stared down at it without drinking.
Mara watched me quietly before finally asking, “How is he?”
Something bitter twisted painfully inside my chest. “I don’t know,” I answered honestly.
“You haven’t checked on him?” She asked, a bit surprised.
I swallowed slowly before shaking my head.?“No.”
Mara frowned slightly. “Why?”
Because I was scared. Because every time I looked at him now, part of my brain remembered red eyes and blood-covered fangs and also because another part of me hated myself for being afraid of him after everything he had done for me.
“Maybe…” I exhaled shakily. “Maybe it’s better if we keep our distance right now.”
Mara looked away toward the forest briefly before speaking again.
“Seems like you know who Zarek truly is?”
My head snapped toward her instantly. The irritation I’d been suppressing all night finally surfaced properly.
“You knew?” My voice came out sharper than intended.
Mara didn’t react immediately. “You knew this entire time?”
“No one told me anything,” I whispered bitterly. “Everybody in this place keeps hiding things from me like I’m some child that can’t handle the truth.”
Mara sighed softly. “It wasn’t our secret to tell.”
I laughed once without humor. “That’s convenient.”
Her gaze shifted toward me again carefully. “You’re angry.”
“Yes.”
“You’re frightened too.” She added.
“I don’t even understand what he is,” I admitted quietly. “One minute he’s protecting me, the next minute he’s talking about himself like he’s some kind of curse.”
Mara stayed silent for a moment before finally speaking.!“Most people fear what they don’t understand.”
“That’s not what this is.” I tried denying it.
“Then what is it?”
I opened my mouth, nothing came out because I genuinely didn’t know.
Mara leaned back slightly in her chair. “Do you know how many stories exist about hybrids?”
I frowned slightly. “Not many.”
“Exactly.” Her eyes darkened faintly. “Because most hybrids never survive long enough to become stories.”
A chill slid slowly down my spine.“What do you mean?”
Mara’s fingers tightened slightly around her cup.
“Vampires and werewolves have hated each other for centuries.” Her voice lowered carefully. “Blood wars. Territory wars. Extinction attempts.” She shook her head faintly. “A child born from both bloodlines should not exist.”
I stared at her quietly. “But Zarek does,” she continued softly. “And because he exists, both sides fear him.”
I remembered his words from earlier.
I’m a monster.
I felt sympathy for him. “He was born into violence,” Mara whispered. “Even as a child.”
I looked back toward her slowly.
“The vampires wanted him dead because he carried wolf blood. The wolves feared him because of the vampire side.” Her expression dimmed slightly. “He grew up with people deciding what he was before he even understood himself.”
That explained too much.
The way everybody watched him carefully like they were waiting for him to become dangerous.
“He told me he’s a monster,” I murmured.
Mara looked at me sadly. “No,” she said quietly. “He told you what the world convinced him he was.”
The wind moved through the balcony softly.
I looked down at the untouched tea in my hands. “He drinks blood, doesn’t he?”
The question came out smaller than I intended. Mara didn’t answer immediately. That alone was answer enough.
“I’m trying,” I admitted shakily. “I really am.” My eyes burned slightly now. “But every time I close my eyes, I keep seeing that dream.”
Mara’s expression sharpened slightly. “Dream?”
I nodded slowly.
“I saw him covered in blood.” My voice dropped almost to a whisper. “And I…” My throat tightened painfully. “I killed him.”
“You killed him how?”
I frowned slightly at the sudden tension in her voice. “There was a blade,” I answered slowly. “Silver.”
Mara went completely still. Even the air between us suddenly felt heavier.
Then she quickly looked away. That reaction didn’t escape me.
“What?” I whispered.
“Nothing.”
“That wasn’t nothing.” I pressed harder.
Mara stood up abruptly from her chair and walked toward the balcony railing.
My heartbeat started rising again.
“Mara.”
She stayed quiet.
“Mara.”
Finally, she turned back toward me slowly. Her face looked calmer now but her eyes didn’t.
“Some dreams,” she said carefully, “mean more than others in our world.
A cold sensation crawled slowly through my chest. “What does that mean?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“You’re lying.” I retorted.
Mara looked genuinely conflicted now. “Silver blessed by vampire bloodlines can kill hybrids permanently.”
My breath caught.
“The blade in your dream…” she continued slowly, “doesn’t sound ordinary.”
“No,” I whispered immediately. “It was just a nightmare.” Maybe I was trying to convince myself more than her.
Mara’s gaze softened slightly. “Maybe.”
But she didn’t sound convinced.
I didn’t press her further, truth be told, I didn’t want to think about this.
I silently asked myself, “What did I really get myself involved in?”