CHAPTER 435: THE SECRET IN THE WOODS

Evaline:

The soft purr of the car engine filled the silence as Kieran drove down the narrow forest road, shadows stretching long and deep beneath the canopy of old pines.

The sun had already dipped below the horizon, leaving streaks of faint gold clinging to the edge of the world... like the last breath of warmth before night claimed everything.

We had just left Healer Ren’s clinic. My body still hummed faintly with the lingering residue of the power I had used, but more than that, my heart felt oddly light. I had healed people. Watched the wonder in their eyes, the tears, the disbelief that pain could fade so quickly. It was... overwhelming in the best way possible.

Kieran had noticed, of course. He didn’t speak much, but every time his gaze met mine, there was something gentle there... something proud.

We had bid Healer Ren goodbye with the promise to return on Sunday for another session. But now, as Kieran turned the steering wheel down a path that clearly didn’t lead back to the Academy, curiosity began to rise in me again like a soft tide.

The further we drove, the quieter the world became. No passing vehicles, no sound of other life except the occasional whisper of wind and the rhythmic hum of tires against the uneven ground.

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. His face was illuminated by the soft glow of the dashboard lights - all calm edges and silent thought.

I wanted to ask him where we were going.

But something told me he wouldn’t answer. Or maybe I didn’t want him to. There was a strange comfort in letting him lead... in knowing that wherever we were going, he had a reason.

So I just turned my gaze back to the window, watching the shadows of trees move like ghosts against the darkening sky.

About twenty minutes later, the car came to a stop at the foot of a high, rocky peak.

The headlights cut through the darkness, revealing thick undergrowth and a trail that seemed to vanish between two massive oaks.

I blinked. "We are... not lost, are we?" I asked softly, half teasing.

He just smiled... that subtle, quiet curve of his lips that always made my heart skip a beat. "No."

That was all he said before climbing out of the car and walking around to open my door. His hand extended toward me, steady and sure. I placed my hand in his without hesitation.

The air here was colder, the kind that brushed against the skin like silk. Somewhere in the distance, an owl hooted.

He didn’t explain where we were or what he intended to do. He simply took my hand and led me through the tall grass toward the grove of trees. I followed quietly, my curiosity deepening with each step.

And then I noticed the group of trees standing close together, ancient and enormous. Their trunks were so wide that several people could have easily hidden inside. But what drew my eyes most was one particular tree near the center.

It had a massive hollow at its base - a dark, yawning gap that looked like the mouth of a secret.

I stopped for a second, my heartbeat quickening. "Kieran..."

He looked back at me over his shoulder, his expression unreadable but his grip on my hand firm. "Come."

So I did.

The darkness inside the hollow wasn’t absolute... faint traces of light shimmered within, revealing a smooth floor and, to my surprise, a trapdoor hidden beneath a web of roots.

Kieran knelt and brushed the roots aside, revealing a handle made of metal. The faint creak of hinges echoed as he opened it, and I caught sight of a staircase descending into dim light.

It wasn’t just a hiding spot. It was something built - deliberate, secret, safe.

A thought crossed my mind... This must be his secret place.

Just like Draven’s hideout among the cliffs, this too felt deeply personal. A place no one else was meant to find.

He went down first, his steps silent and sure. I followed, my fingers brushing the smooth wooden railing as we descended. The air grew cooler and carried a faint scent of earth and pine sap.

At the bottom, a dimly lit hallway stretched before us, lined with soft, glowing stones embedded into the walls. The light they cast was golden - warm, comforting.

Kieran led me to the end of the corridor, where stood a small door. He unlocked it and pushed it open, gesturing for me to step inside.

I did... and froze for a moment.

The space opened into a cozy underground home - small, yes, but filled with quiet charm.

A living room took up most of the space, with a low couch covered in dark gray fabric, a woven rug in front of a small fireplace, and books neatly arranged on wooden shelves carved into the wall itself. On one side was a tiny kitchen, complete with a counter, a few hanging pans, and a single wooden table with two chairs. There was a hallway leading deeper into the house where the bedroom might be.

It was so Kieran. Practical, simple... and yet, somehow warm.

"This is..." I trailed off, turning in a slow circle. "You built this?"

He nodded slightly, a flicker of something soft crossing his face. "A long time ago. Before the Academy."

I smiled faintly. "It’s beautiful."

I was still taking in the little details - the neatly folded blanket on the couch, the scent of dried herbs hanging near the counter, the soft light filling the place - when I felt his presence behind me.

Warmth. Quiet. Steady.

Then, his arms slipped around my waist from behind.

I stilled, my breath catching softly as his chest pressed against my back. His head tilted slightly, his breath brushing the side of my neck as he murmured,

"What do you want for dinner?"

I blinked, my heart jumping for a completely different reason now.

"Dinner?" I echoed, half turning my head toward him.

"Mhm." His voice was low, lazy, almost playful. "You must be hungry after our visit to Elder Ren. I’ll cook."

He said it so casually, as if his arms weren’t wrapped tightly around me, as if my pulse wasn’t racing just from the feel of his breath against my skin.

I swallowed, forcing myself to look normal.

His voice, his proximity, the faint smell of pine and smoke that clung to his clothes... everything made it impossible to focus. My hands instinctively gripped the edge of the counter in front of me, trying to anchor myself.

He finally released me and stepped toward the kitchen, rolling his sleeves up in that calm, deliberate way of his. The movement revealed the veins on his forearms, and I found myself watching, unable to look away.