Elijah found Rebekah in the garden, sunlight streaming through the branches, the rose Sagar had given her still in her hand. She looked lost in thought, her expression softer than usual. For a moment, Elijah hesitated—he had always been protective of his sister, their bond forged through centuries of loyalty and hardship158. But now, worry edged his voice.
"Rebekah," he called gently, approaching. "You were out here late last night. Did you see anything… unusual?"
She glanced up, masking her surprise with a practiced smile. "You mean besides the usual ghosts and shadows? It's our family estate, Elijah. Unusual is rather ordinary for us."
He studied her, searching for any sign of deception. "I saw you speaking with someone. A man. I couldn't make out his face."
Rebekah hesitated, fingers tightening around the rose. "He was… strange. Charming, but unsettling. I can't remember his name, or even what he looked like. It's as if he was a dream I've already forgotten."
Elijah's concern deepened. "You felt it too, then—the sense that something is watching, something we can't name?"
She nodded, her vulnerability showing through. "He spoke in riddles. Asked if I ever tired of being a legend. It felt like he knew me, Elijah. Not just my name, but everything—my hopes, my regrets. And then he was gone."
Elijah placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, his protectiveness clear17
8. "If he is a threat, we will face him together. I will not let anything harm you, Rebekah. Forever and always."
She smiled, comforted by his promise, but the unease lingered. "He left me this." She handed Elijah the rose. Its petals were unnaturally vivid, its thorns impossibly smooth.
Elijah examined it, frowning. "Magic, but not like any I've seen. We must be cautious. I'll consult the witches again, see if they can sense anything on the estate."
Rebekah touched his arm, her voice soft. "Be careful, Elijah. He's not like the others. He's… free. Untouchable."
He nodded, determination in his eyes. "We will find the truth, sister. No secret stays hidden forever."
As Elijah walked away, the rose in his hand, Rebekah watched the shadows lengthen across the garden. She felt the world shifting, the old certainties slipping away. For the first time in centuries, she wondered if being a legend would be enough to protect them from what was coming.
And somewhere, unseen, Sagar smiled—pleased that his presence had left a mark even as the world tried to forget.