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Chapter 83: This is Your Home…
Chapter 83: This is Your Home…
Warlock Ch 83. This is Your Home…
For a moment, there was silence. Evelyn didn't move, didn't break her gaze. She just watched him. "Don't mention it," she finally said, her tone softening a bit. Then, almost in a whisper, she added, "This is your home too… Damian."
Damian froze, his mind scrambling to catch up. He managed a nervous smile, unsure if he'd heard her right. "What do you mean?" he murmured, his voice barely a notch above a whisper. "There's no way…" But before he could say more, Evelyn closed the distance between them, lifting her hand and gently placing a finger against his lips, silencing his doubts with a simple, firm touch. It was enough to steal any further protest from his tongue.
Her expression softened even more. He saw a hint of something vulnerable, almost fragile, in her eyes. "This is your home too, Damian," she said, her voice laced with an unexpected sadness. It wasn't a sadness born of pity or regret, but rather of empathy, as though she understood the depth of his solitude in a way he hadn't been ready to admit to himself. "If you don't have a place to go…" she paused, as if choosing her words carefully. "…then this place will always be your home."
Those last words hit him harder than any spell or training session ever could. He felt the breath catch in his throat. Home. As an orphan, the concept had been so distant, so far removed from his life for so long that he'd almost forgotten what it felt like to belong somewhere. And now, standing here, hearing her say it so plainly, it felt… overwhelming.
He took a second, pulling himself together, forcing his voice to work again. "Okay," he managed, his voice barely a whisper. And then, realizing he hadn't said nearly enough, he nodded, offering a faint smile as he repeated, "Okay."
She smiled back, warm and reassuring, as though she'd expected that reaction all along. "How about a drink, then? Something like yesterday?"
At the mention of a drink, he felt his shoulders ease a bit. "Sure," he replied, nodding. "I'll help you out." He pushed himself up from his seat, stretching a little.
Evelyn looked at him with a slight shake of her head. "You don't have to," she said, waving him off. But Damian shook his head, grinning.
"I insist," he replied, with a determined edge to his voice. "Besides, I could use the break, and I'm pretty sure you'd love to hear all about Cassius' brutal training techniques. Trust me, it's a wild story."
At that, Evelyn's expression shifted, curiosity sparking in her eyes. She let out a soft laugh, nodding. "You've got me interested. Okay, let's hear it."
They went down to the kitchen and worked side by side, comfortable and easy, falling into a rhythm as he helped her measure out ingredients, occasionally throwing in a little commentary to make her laugh. He recounted the day with all its ups and downs—the punishing spells Cassius had him practice, the relentless drills, the kind of brutal lessons that left his muscles aching and his mind exhausted. And through it all, Evelyn listened, a half-smile playing on her lips, as though she could picture every detail he described.
"So, there I am, practically half-dead by the end of it, and Cassius just looks at me and says, 'Not bad, but don't get cocky.' Like, really?" Damian shook his head, feigning disbelief, though a grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.
Evelyn chuckled. "Sounds like Cassius. He's never satisfied, is he?"
"Not even a little," Damian agreed, clinking his glass against hers before taking a sip. The drink was smooth and sweet with a hint of warmth that spread through him instantly. He let out a satisfied sigh, savoring the moment.
After a moment, Evelyn broke the silence, a hint of mischief back in her voice. "So… how does it feel to survive another day under Cassius' iron fist?"
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Feels like I wrestled a bear," he replied, rubbing a sore spot on his shoulder. "And lost. But hey, at least he didn't kill me. This time."
"Sounds like he's doing wonders for your resilience," Evelyn teased, taking another sip of her drink, but her gaze softened as she watched him.
"Yeah, well, resilience is fine and all," Damian replied, his tone dropping slightly. "But when he just brushes off any attempt to give feedback like you're nothing but a trainee who got in the way, it gets… tiring."
Evelyn nodded knowingly, sympathy flickering in her gaze. "Cassius has his ways," she said carefully. "Not everyone's meant to handle them." Then she tilted her head slightly, as if choosing her words with care. "You're different. He sees that, even if he doesn't say it."
Damian gave a small, grateful smile. "Maybe," he muttered, glancing down at his drink. "But I think his recent visitor got his attention more than I did."
That made Evelyn pause, her expression shifting, a shadow passing over her face. "Visitor?" she asked, her voice cautious.
He glanced up, watching her reaction with growing curiosity. "Yeah, Cassius had someone over today… a vampire, actually. Victoria Bloodrose, I think she called herself." He leaned back, studying her, noting the way her posture straightened, her fingers tensing slightly around her glass.
"Victoria Bloodrose…" Evelyn's voice was barely above a whisper, but there was an edge to it now, a layer of caution he hadn't seen before. "She was there with Cassius?"
Damian nodded, not missing the change in her demeanor. "Yeah. Pretty sure she was there because of me, too. She kept going on about 'detecting power' or something like that. It was… strange. Like she was looking for something, or someone." He played it off, not wanting to stress her out.
The tension in Evelyn's face deepened, her eyes narrowing as she took in his words. She was silent for a moment, her gaze fixed on the floor, lost in thought. Damian felt a prickle of concern, realizing just how much his words carried for her. It wasn't like Evelyn to be easily rattled, but this seemed different.