The little boy skipped happily down the hallway, humming a familiar tune.
To everyone else, it seemed as though no one was there.
A thin, invisible force field surrounded him, hiding him from sight.
As he reached the second floor, Olivia paused.
She couldn’t see anyone…
But she could hear the song.
It was the same lullaby their father used to sing to them when they were children.
Her heart tightened.
She looked around the hallway in confusion.
“Who’s there?” she whispered.
No one answered.
She watched as the invisible presence entered Levi’s room.
Immediately, she hurried after it.
Just as she reached the door, one of the servants stepped in front of her.
“I’m sorry,” the servant said politely.
“Levi needs his rest. You wouldn’t want to disturb him.”
“Has he woken up yet?” Olivia asked anxiously.
“Not yet.”
“The doctor said he simply needs more rest. It’s been a difficult week for him.”
Olivia looked toward the closed door for another moment before reluctantly nodding.
“I’ll come back later.”
She walked away, though something still didn’t feel right.
Inside the room…
A servant entered carrying a large tray filled with food and a bottle of wine.
She quietly placed everything on the table before leaving.
The little boy climbed into the chair across from Levi.
His feet dangled several inches above the floor as he swung them back and forth happily.
He watched Levi eat with sparkling eyes, almost as if simply watching him was enough to make him happy.
Levi couldn’t help but notice.
“Why aren’t you eating?” he asked.
The boy simply smiled.
His calm expression caught Levi off guard.
Most children would have been asking questions…
Or demanding answers…
But this boy only looked at him with admiration.
Levi wasn’t sure what to think.
Maybe he was another orphan.
If that was the case…
He could leave him with the Godmother until everything settled down.
Once Carter established the Vanguard, Levi could always come back for him later.
As soon as that thought crossed his mind…
A sudden wave of anger crashed into him.
Levi grabbed his chest.
The feeling wasn’t his.
He looked up.
The little boy’s cheerful smile had disappeared.
His eyes had become sad.
“Why can I feel your emotions?” Levi whispered.
The little boy lowered his head.
“You’re planning to send me away…”
“Aren’t you?”
His voice trembled.
“Why are you like this?”
“You never treated me like this before.”
Levi frowned.
“We’ve met before?”
The boy’s eyes lit up with hope.
“Yes!”
“Do you remember me?”
Levi slowly shook his head.
“I’m sorry…”
“No.”
The excitement disappeared from the boy’s face.
“But…”
“That isn’t right.”
“Maybe it’s because I look different now.”
He leaned forward.
“Do you remember the teddy bear you found in the woods when you were five?”
Levi blinked.
“I had a lot of toys when I was little.”
“It’s hard to remember.”
The little boy looked hurt.
“But…”
“I wasn’t just a toy.”
“I was your best friend.”
“You said so yourself.”
Levi froze.
A forgotten memory slowly returned.
A small teddy bear…
One he carried everywhere.
Everyone thought he had an imaginary friend because he insisted the bear could talk.
No one believed him.
Then…
When he was seven…
The teddy bear disappeared.
Levi cried for months afterward.
But…
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A teddy bear could become a human.
“You don’t believe me,” the boy said quietly.
“It’s difficult.”
“If you really are my teddy bear…”
“Turn back into one.”
The boy sadly shook his head.
“I can’t.”
“Not anymore.”
Levi sighed.
“Then we have nothing else to talk about.”
He stood and slowly walked toward his bed.
His head still hurt.
He just wanted to sleep.
Behind him…
The little boy spoke.
“One day…”
“Your father yelled at you because one of the twins got hurt.”
“You ran deep into the forest.”
“A wolf attacked you.”
“You killed it.”
“You were afraid someone would discover your power…”
“So you hid the wolf and pretended nothing had happened.”
Levi stopped walking.
His body became stiff.
No one…
Absolutely no one…
Knew that story.
Only Levi…
And the teddy bear who had been with him that day.
Slowly…
He turned around.
The little boy stood there with tears forming in his eyes.
“There are people in this world who would use your secrets against you.”
“I know.”
“But…”
“I would never do that.”
His voice broke.
“Didn’t you miss me?”
“Didn’t you ever wonder where I went?”
Tears rolled down his cheeks.
Levi could actually feel the overwhelming sadness pouring from him.
It wasn’t sympathy.
He was literally feeling the boy’s emotions.
And somehow…
That hurt even more.