Lucian’s eyes remained fixed on her bare left arm. "W-what do you mean, taken care of? Nyx, you walked in with a plaster cast and came out looking like you fought for your life! What actually happened in there?"
Nyx turned toward him, noticing how tightly his hands were clenched in his lap and the tension in his shoulders. The worry on his face made her heart ache, but she couldn’t tell him the truth.
"An accident in the back kitchen," she explained, keeping her voice low and steady. "A heavy shelf collapsed, and I had to pull someone out from underneath it. My cast was damaged during the accident, but my arm wasn’t injured again. The blood isn’t mine."
"There’s no need to worry," she added gently. "It’s just my arm, and I’m absolutely fine. I may look this way, but I’m fine, so there’s no need to worry, okay?"
Lucian studied her face, clearly unconvinced. His gaze drifted back to her arm, as though he expected to find some sign of the injury she insisted was no longer a problem. However, with Nyx speaking so calmly and showing no sign of pain, he didn’t know what else to ask.
The driver’s brows furrowed with concern. "Miss, we should go to the hospital. You might have sustained injuries that aren’t immediately obvious."
Nyx shook her head. "No, there’s no need to go to the hospital."
"But, Nyx, you should go to the hospital for your arm," Lucian insisted. "You were injured badly enough to need a cast. We can’t just ignore it because the cast is gone."
"I said it’s nothing." Nyx softened her tone when she saw his expression grow even more troubled. She reached for the folder she had brought from the legal firm and opened it on her lap. Inside were the documents concerning Whitehill Crest, including the page on which the estate’s address had been written.
She located the address and handed the folder to the driver.
"We’re going to the address written there," she instructed. "Forget about my arm. I’m absolutely fine. Once we get back, I can go to the hospital and have them put on another cast. Better yet, I might just get a sling."
She glanced down at her left arm. There was no swelling, no bruising, and no trace of the fracture that had troubled her for days. The pain had disappeared completely, and her arm felt perfectly fine. Although she couldn’t explain what had happened to Lucian just yet, she knew that taking her newly restored body to the hospital immediately would only invite unnecessary questions.
"Actually, I feel much better now," she continued, looking back at her brother. "My arm has improved quite a bit, so there’s no need to worry, okay? I’m just going to rest for a while."
The driver looked as though he still wanted to argue, but he eventually turned around and placed the folder where he could check the address. He had worked for the Arden family long enough to know that Nyx could be stubborn once she had made up her mind. Even so, he glanced at her through the rearview mirror, clearly unconvinced that everything was as fine as she claimed.
Lucian, meanwhile, remained unconvinced as well. His gaze kept returning to her arm, and the worry on his face reminded Nyx of how he used to react whenever she was hurt in her previous life. He might not remember those years, but his fear of losing her seemed unchanged. Back then, there had been so many times when he could only watch helplessly as their family put her in danger, and she had never forgotten the distress in his eyes. She didn’t want him to feel that way again, especially not because of her.
"Come here." Nyx opened her right arm and gently pulled him toward her.
Lucian moved closer without hesitation, allowing her to wrap her arm around his shoulders. Nyx drew him against her side and held him securely, careful not to make any sudden movements that might startle him.
"There," she murmured, resting her cheek lightly against his hair. "I’m right here, and I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me so much."
For a moment, Lucian remained stiff in her embrace. Then he slowly relaxed, leaning against her as though the warmth of her body was enough to reassure him that she was still there.
"Promise me you’re not hiding an injury," he whispered.
Nyx’s expression softened. "I promise I’ll tell you if something is wrong."
It wasn’t quite the answer he had asked for, but Lucian seemed too relieved to argue. He lowered his head against her shoulder, his fingers lightly gripping the fabric of her torn shirt.
Nyx held him a little closer, concealing the brief flicker of emotion in her eyes. She couldn’t tell him. Not yet.
"Let’s go to the address," she said quietly. "I’m tired, and I want to rest."
The driver started the engine and pulled away from the curb, following the address Nyx had given him. Behind them, the restaurant disappeared into the ordinary bustle of Alder City.
Nyx leaned back against the seat with Lucian nestled beside her. Her torn clothes and bloodstained skin were uncomfortable, but since entering the restaurant, she could finally breathe without the threat of a monster bearing down on her.
She lowered her gaze to her left hand and slowly flexed her fingers.
She looked up and through the window, Nyx saw emergency vehicles rushing toward the restaurant—the authorities arriving to investigate what they would inevitably label another ’strange accident.’
The first police cruiser arrived outside L’étoile only seconds after Nyx’s car disappeared into traffic. An ambulance followed close behind, its siren cutting through the ordinary sounds of Alder City as it pulled up beside the restaurant.
By then, the gray fog had thinned considerably. What remained clung to the rear corridor and kitchen, drifting in faint wisps that vanished whenever the air stirred. From the street, the restaurant appeared almost normal. The front dining area was largely undisturbed, save for several overturned chairs and tables shoved out of place during the panic. The real damage lay farther inside, where the corridor walls had been smashed and the kitchen looked as though something enormous had torn through it.
Officer Theo approached the entrance.
"Police! Is anyone inside? Can you hear me?"
When no one answered immediately, he tried the door, found it unlocked, and pushed it open cautiously. A faint, unpleasant odor drifted out to meet him, making his nose wrinkle.
Behind him, Officer Grace Miller was already directing curious onlookers away from the entrance while asking those emerging from the restaurant to remain nearby for questioning.
"Everyone, please move back from the doorway. If you witnessed what happened, we need you to stay here and speak with the officers. Medical personnel will attend to anyone who needs assistance."
Several patrons began talking at once.
"There was something in there!"
"The street disappeared! I swear, the whole street was gone!"
"Something attacked us!"
"Where’s the man who went outside? Did anyone find him?"
Grace paused. "Which man?"
"The businessman! He opened the doors and stepped outside, and then he vanished!"
She looked toward Theo, who had stopped just inside the entrance.
Theo raised his radio.
"Dispatch, this is Officer Bennett. We have multiple distressed civilians at L’étoile reporting a possible structural incident and an unidentified threat inside the premises. There are conflicting accounts of what occurred, and one person is reportedly missing. Request additional units and immediate assistance from the Special Response Unit."
He released the button and glanced down the corridor.
A few minutes later, Captain Darius Cole arrived.
He stepped out of the dark response vehicle wearing fitted black clothing, tactical trousers, and heavy combat boots. His close-cropped hair and composed expression gave little away as he surveyed the scene. After briefly acknowledging the gathering crowd, he approached the two officers at the entrance.
"Report."
Theo straightened. "Captain. The initial reports are inconsistent. Several witnesses claim the building was surrounded by gray fog, and some insist the street disappeared when they opened the front doors. One man allegedly crossed the threshold and vanished. We haven’t located him yet."
"Has anyone entered the building?"
"I went in a few moments ago. The entrance is clear now. We have people inside who need medical attention, but the reports about what happened are all over the place."
Darius’s gaze shifted to the restaurant windows.
"And the fog?"
"Mostly gone before we arrived. Some witnesses claim it was thick enough that they couldn’t see their own hands."
Darius fell silent.
He had heard those words before, from incident reports he had spent the past several weeks reviewing.
An industrial facility. A strange gray fog. Emergency personnel unable to enter despite having a clear view of the building.
He remembered reading about how the first patrol officers had attempted to enter the facility, only to encounter an invisible barrier at the entrance.