Chapter 61: Chapter 61
Yulia
I didn’t get any rest.
I tried to. I stayed in the room, I sat down, I even lay back at some point. It all didn’t matter. My body was still. My mind refused to rest. Every time I closed my eyes I felt it again. Not the strong feeling from earlier, this was something quiet and present beneath everything else.
It was not stronger or weaker. It was just there, like it had always been.
That should have bothered me more than it did. Instead it settled into something else. It wasn’t fear nor panic, just a slow uncomfortable kind of acceptance.
A soft knock came at the door before it opened, and Luci stepped in without waiting. His eyes went straight to me like he already knew I would not be asleep.
"You’re supposed to be resting " he said, to me.
"I tried" I said, to Luci.
That was enough. Luci did not push it further. He just studied me for a moment before stepping inside and closing the door behind himself.
"You feel it" he said.
It wasn’t a question.
"Yes" I replied, to Luci, about Yulias problem.
His jaw tightened slightly, but he didn’t look surprised. If anything, it confirmed something he had already suspected.
"Is it the same as before?" he asked.
I shook my head "No it’s not the same. It’s quieter now, not pushing, not reacting, just there " I said to Luci.
His gaze didn’t leave me "That is not better" Luci said to me.
"I know."
It didn’t feel worse either, and that was the part I didn’t know how to explain. It wasn’t fighting me, it wasn’t overwhelming me. It felt like something waiting for me to make a move.
"I think it’s aware" I said, after a moment.
That got a reaction, not an one but I saw it in the way his expression hardened slightly Lucis expression.
That got a reaction. Not a big one, but I saw it in the way his expression hardened slightly.
“Rhys said the same thing,” he replied.
“It doesn’t feel wild,” I continued. “It reacts, but only when I do something first.”
He stepped closer, stopping in front of me. “And that doesn’t concern you?”
“It does,” I said. “But it also means it can be controlled.”
“Or it’s learning you,” he said.
That made me pause. I hadn’t thought about it like that.
The silence stretched for a second before I exhaled slowly "Either way ignoring it will not help." I said to Luci.
"No" he agreed. “But pushing it blindly will not either"
I looked at him properly then "You are still going to try and stop me Luci" I said.
"I am going to make sure you do not do something" he corrected me.
"That depends on what you think is reckless Luci" I said to him.
His expression didn’t change. “Reaching for something we don’t understand.”
“That’s exactly what we’re dealing with,” I said. “We don’t understand it. So we either figure it out, or we wait for it to decide for us.”
That landed.
I could see it in the way he went quiet, like he didn’t like the options but couldn’t deny them.
Before he could respond, that feeling shifted.
It was not sudden like before, It did not hit me all at once. It moved slowly like something stirring beneath the surface of a river.
My breathing paused slightly.
Luci noticed immediately "What is it?" he asked me.
I didn’t answer right away. I was too focused on the change.
“It moved,” I said quietly.
His posture changed instantly, his attention sharpening. “Inside you?”
“Yes… but not just that.”
That was the problem.
It felt connected.
Like whatever was inside me had just reacted to something else.
My head turned slightly toward the window without thinking.
The same direction as before. The forest.
"They are still there" I said to Luci.
Luci followed my gaze, his expression darkening "You’re sure?" he asked me.
I nodded slowly "It is faint but it’s the same feeling." I said to Luci.
The room fell quiet.
This time there was no doubt about it.
No confusion, just confirmation.
"They aren’t leaving" he said, to me.
"No" I replied. "They are waiting.”
That word settled heavily between us.
Waiting did not mean retreat, It meant intention.
His gaze shifted back to me "Then we do not give them time.” Luci said.
I frowned slightly "What does that mean?" I asked Luci.
"It means we stop reacting to their moves and start moving first.” Luci said.
That didn’t sit right with me.
"You are talking about going into the forest Luci" I said.
"I am talking about ending this before it grows into something bigger. Something beyond our control." Luci said.
"You do not even know what they are Luci " I said.
"I know they came for you Yulia" Luci said.
“You don’t even know what they are.”
“I know they came for you.”
“For what’s inside me,” I corrected.
“Same thing.”
It wasn’t.
But I didn’t argue it.
Instead, I focused on the feeling again. It hadn’t faded. If anything, it had settled more clearly now, like whatever was out there had realized I noticed it.
“They’re not attacking,” I said slowly.
“Not yet,” he replied.
“That’s not what I mean,” I said. “If they wanted to, they would’ve tried again already.”
That made him pause.
“They’re watching,” I continued. “And whatever this is… it’s connected.”
“To you,” he said.
I didn’t deny it.
“Then that’s exactly why you don’t get involved directly,” he added.
I let out a breath. “You’re not going to be able to keep me out of it.”
His eyes met mine, steady and certain. “Watch me.”
That almost made me smile.
Almost.
Because we both knew how this was going to go.
Neither of us was backing down.
The difference was that time wasn’t on our side.
The feeling in my chest shifted again, just slightly, but enough to remind me this wasn’t over.
Not even close.
“They’re going to move,” I said.
Luci didn’t hesitate this time. “Then we’ll be ready.”
I held his gaze for a moment longer before nodding.
Because whether we were ready or not—
something was coming.
And this time, it wouldn’t wait for us to understand it.