Chapter 3: A Heart Divided
“There’s so much you need to know,” he said, his voice smooth, like a velvet trap. But it wasn’t the warmth in his eyes that held me. It was the weight of the secrets hidden behind them.
Standing in the dimly lit tavern, the smell of old wood and dampness clinging to the air, I felt the walls close in around me. His presence consumed the space, and though part of me wanted to run—to escape the pull of his mysterious allure—I was rooted to the spot. The man, whose name I still didn’t know, had been a constant shadow since I’d arrived in this time.
I swallowed hard, my heart racing. “Why do you keep following me? What do you want from me?”
He smiled softly, but there was a sadness in his eyes. “I’m not your enemy, Hannah. I’m here to help you. But you must trust me, or you’ll never survive what’s coming.”
The words sent a shiver through me. My thoughts raced back to Molly’s warning, to the mysterious people chasing me, and to the way he had vanished so suddenly the night before. There were too many unanswered questions, too many dangers lurking in the shadows of this unfamiliar world. Could I trust him? Could I trust anyone?
I hesitated, stepping back toward the door, but his gaze never wavered.
“You don’t have time to doubt, Hannah,” he said, taking a step closer. “If you want to live, if you want to find your way back… you’ll have to trust me.”
The words hung heavy in the air between us. I wanted to believe him, wanted to trust him, but my heart was torn. Molly had told me to be careful, that there were forces at play here I didn’t understand. How could I know who was telling the truth? And why did it feel like my life was spiraling out of my control?
***
We sat in a quiet corner of the tavern, the low murmur of conversations around us barely registering in my mind. His name, I learned, was Alexander, and though he spoke in vague terms about protecting me, he offered little else in the way of explanation. His evasiveness frustrated me, yet the intensity in his gaze, the way he seemed to know me in a way no one else did, pulled me in.
“I know you have questions,” Alexander said, his voice low as he leaned across the table. “But there are some things I can’t tell you—at least, not yet. You’re in more danger than you realize, and knowing too much too soon could put you at even greater risk.”
I frowned, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “Then why should I trust you? You seem to know everything about me, but I know nothing about you.”
His lips twitched into a half-smile. “You know more than you think. You just don’t remember.”
His words sent a jolt through me, the edges of his statement feeling sharp and unfamiliar. “What does that mean?”
He paused, his eyes dark and unreadable. “Our lives are connected, Hannah. In ways you can’t yet understand. This isn’t the first time our paths have crossed.”
I opened my mouth to argue, to demand more answers, but something in his expression stopped me. It was as if he was carrying the weight of years, of experiences he couldn’t—or wouldn’t—share with me. And despite my frustration, I couldn’t deny the strange pull I felt toward him.
***
As the night wore on, we left the tavern and found ourselves in the quiet streets of the city. The cobblestones gleamed under the moonlight, and the distant sounds of carriages had long since faded. The air was cool, crisp, and the weight of everything unsaid lingered between us.
We walked side by side, the silence stretching, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was filled with a different kind of tension—a tension I couldn’t quite explain. There was a magnetic pull between us, something that felt inevitable, even if I didn’t fully understand it.
I glanced up at him, studying the sharp lines of his face, the way his jaw tensed and relaxed with every breath. There was something deeply familiar about him, something that tugged at the edges of my memory. And yet, I knew I had never met him before—at least, not in the life I remembered.
“You’re quiet,” he observed, his voice soft.
I shrugged, not trusting myself to speak. “There’s a lot I don’t understand.”
He stopped walking, turning to face me, his expression softening. “I know. And I wish I could give you all the answers you’re looking for. But some things… some things you have to find out for yourself.”
His hand reached out, hesitating for a moment before brushing against mine. The touch was gentle, tentative, and yet it sent a spark through me. My heart fluttered, and I found myself unable to pull away.
I looked up into his eyes, the cool night air swirling around us. The distance between us was so small now, almost nonexistent. And yet, it felt as though a thousand things were left unsaid, hovering in the air between us.
“I wish I could remember,” I whispered, barely audible.
He stepped closer, his hand finding mine more securely, fingers entwining with mine. “You will,” he said softly, his voice steady, filled with a quiet conviction. “I promise, you will.”
The closeness between us was intoxicating, and for a moment, I allowed myself to forget everything else—the danger, the confusion, the uncertainty. All that mattered was this moment, the way his hand felt in mine, the way his presence calmed the storm raging inside me.
He lifted his other hand, brushing a stray lock of hair away from my face. The tenderness in the gesture made my breath catch in my throat. Slowly, his fingers trailed along my cheek, his touch feather-light but deliberate.
I felt myself leaning into him, drawn by some invisible force. My heart raced, every inch of me aware of how close we were. His eyes flickered down to my lips, and for a split second, I thought he might kiss me.
But then, he pulled back, his gaze darkening with something I couldn’t quite place—guilt, maybe, or hesitation. The moment slipped away like sand through my fingers, leaving me feeling more lost than ever.
***
Before I could say anything, the quiet night was shattered by a distant sound—the clatter of hooves on the cobblestones, approaching quickly. Alexander’s expression shifted instantly, the tenderness replaced by sharp focus.
“They’ve found us,” he muttered under his breath, his hand gripping mine tightly. “We need to move.”
Without another word, he pulled me into the shadows of a nearby alleyway. My heart raced as I followed him, the looming sense of danger snapping me back to reality. Whoever was after me, whoever these mysterious forces were, they were closing in.
We weaved through the narrow streets, the sound of pursuit growing louder. My mind raced with questions, but there was no time to ask them. All I could do was follow Alexander, trusting him to lead me to safety.
Finally, we ducked into a small courtyard, hidden from view by tall stone walls. We pressed ourselves against the wall, the sounds of our pursuers fading into the distance. I was breathing hard, my chest tight with fear and adrenaline.
Alexander turned to me, his face serious. “They won’t stop until they have you, Hannah. And neither will I.”
I stared at him, my heart pounding in my ears. “Why me? What do they want?”
His jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he might finally tell me. But instead, he shook his head. “It’s not just you, Hannah. It’s what you carry. What’s inside you.”
***
Before I could demand an explanation, a figure stepped out of the shadows. It was Molly, her expression cold and calculating in a way I’d never seen before.
“You’re running out of time, Hannah,” she said, her voice low and dangerous. “And you’re trusting the wrong person.”
Alexander tensed beside me, his hand tightening around mine. The air between the three of us was thick with tension, and I could feel the weight of the choice I was about to make pressing down on me.
Who could I trust? Molly, my best friend—or Alexander, the man who seemed to know me better than I knew myself?
As I stood there, torn between them, the world around me seemed to spin. And in that moment, I realized that no matter what choice I made, nothing would ever be the same.