Martha hesitated, her body firmly blocking the doorway to Lily’s room. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Zayn’s bloodstained clothes.
“I won’t let you hurt her again,” she said, voice quiet but firm. “Not after everything she’s been through.”
“Martha,” Talia placed a gentle hand on the older woman’s shoulder. “Let him through.”
“You trust him? After everything that happened?” Her voice cracked with emotion.
Zayn flinched. The maid was justified in her concerns. But he wasn’t about to back down.
“Please, I need to see her. Now. We can’t let her spiral any longer. She will lose herself. We will lose her.”
Martha still shook her head, refusing to move.
“Do you have any idea what he’d done? How he–”
“I know,” Talia looked straight into Martha’s eyes as she spoke. She meant every word. She tightly squeezed the older woman’s arm, “I know. But I also know Zayn. I believe in him.”
Still, the maid refused to budge. Talia bit her lip. She grabbed Martha’s arm and pulled her out of the doorway and down the corridor. This allowed Zayn to enter the room and close the door behind him.
Martha, realizing what had happened, quickly wriggled her arm out of Talia’s grasp.
“How could you?!” She yelled in anger. She tried to go back to the room, but Talia stopped her. She pulled her away from the door.
“What are you doing?! Let me go!”
“Martha, please! Just... just listen to me,” Talia pleaded.
Still, the older woman refused to. Talia blocked her way, not letting her get near the door.
“Just listen, please. If you change your mind after, I won’t stop you,” She promised.
Martha paused. She looked at Talia. She crossed her arms.
“Fine,” She replied in defeat as she leaned her back against the wall.
“I know Zayn has done... questionable things in the past. But between all of us, he understands pain unlike the rest of us. Her pain, Martha.”
“So you think he’s the one to help her?” Martha scoffed while pointing towards the door.
Talia nodded firmly. “Yes. They understand each other’s pain in a way we never could.”
“But... we’re playing with fire!” Martha hissed, face twisted with concern, “ Don’t you see. He’s hurt her before; what’s stopping him from doing it again?”
“He won’t. I’m sure of it,” Talia replied firmly, before adding, “We can’t protect Lily forever, Martha. She needs to learn to face her demons, and he knows how to deal with them.”
She watched the maid’s expression carefully. She was coming around to her words.
“We can’t keep them apart forever either, their bond is unlike any I’ve ever seen,” She added, “Lily needs to heal, and so does Zayn.”
Inside the room, Lily had retreated to the corner. Her knees were drawn up to her chest, arms wrapped tightly around them. She was shaking violently, her face pale and streaked with tears.
“Lily,” Zayn called softly, approaching carefully.
Lily looked up slowly at the sound of his voice. But the person she saw wasn’t Zayn, it was Xavier. Her brother was slowly walking towards her, lips twisted in a cruel smile.
“If it isn’t my favorite little sister,” Xavier’s voice echoed in her mind, “The mute little murderer. Are you afraid of your big brother?”
Lily’s breath came in quick, shallow gasps. Her eyes darted around the room, searching desperately for an escape. There was none. She pressed her back against the wall, shaking her head.
Tears continued to stream down her cheeks.
Zayn’s chest ached. He knew she wasn’t afraid of her. This was different. He could feel it. He wanted to do something, anything, to help her.
“Lily, I’m right here, I’m here to help. I won’t hurt you.”
Lily looked around frantically. With nowhere to run, her next best option was to find something she could use to protect herself. Her eyes landed on the small dagger sitting on the bedside table.
She grabbed it immediately, gripping the handle tightly while pointing it towards Zayn.
‘No... no...” She mouthed through tears.
Zayn froze when he saw the blade in her hand.
“Lily, it’s me, Zayn.”
But Lily didn’t hear him. She only saw Xavier advancing toward her. She swung the dagger at her vision. Only for Xavier’s voice to cackle in her mind.
“Pathetic. You’ve not changed, you pathetic runt!”
Lily’s grip on the handle tightened. Her knuckles were turning white.
Zayn realized she was fighting an invisible enemy, likely a vision her mind created. It had happened to him before. Seeing things that were never there. Enemies that he could never kill.
Zayn took a cautious step forward, hands raised to show he meant no harm. Lily pressed herself harder against the wall, the dagger trembling in her grip.
“Xavier can’t hurt you anymore,” He declared, watching her face for a reaction.
Something flickered in Lily’s eyes. A brief moment of recognition. But it vanished just as quickly, replaced with blind terror.
“I promised to protect you, Lily. And I will keep that promise.”
“I know you’re scared,” Zayn said, inching closer. “I know what it’s like to be trapped in those memories. To see ghosts everywhere you look.”
Lily’s eyes narrowed, filled with confusion and fear. The dagger lowered slightly.
“Focus on the sound of my voice, Lily. Come back to me,” He encouraged.
Lily’s breathing slowed. She seemed to be breaking through the haze of her visions. Her grip on the dagger loosened. Taking a risk, Zayn reached for the dagger. Instincts kicked in.
Lily’s panic surged, her eyes wild with fear.
Zayn cursed under his breath, taking a step back.
In Lily’s mind, Xavier’s voice taunted her in between laughter, “Perhaps I should call Father? I’m sure he’ll love to hear how naughty you’ve been.”
“Lily, please, listen to my voice. You’re in the packhouse, you’re safe.”
He knew he had no right to comfort her after everything he’d done, but he couldn’t bear to see her . Not when he understood her pain so intimately.
“I won’t leave you,” he promised softly, taking another step toward her.
Something dark and desperate crossed Lily’s face. She knew there was no escape. Her threats meant nothing to Xavier either. Her heart pounded in her chest as she realized she had one last resort.
She pressed the blade against her throat.
Horror washed over him.
The cold metal bit into Lily’s skin, not enough to draw blood, but enough to make her intent clear. Her eyes, wide and terrified, never left his face.
“Please,” Zayn pleaded, heart hammering in his chest. “Don’t do this.”
Lily’s hand trembled, the blade pressing dangerously against her throat. A thin line of red appeared where the sharpened edge touched her skin.
“I’m not him,” Zayn said desperately. “I’m not Xavier. Look at me, Lily. Look at me.”
Lily blinked rapidly, her breathing still fast and uneven. The knife wavered at her throat.
“You’re stronger than this,” Zayn continued, his voice breaking slightly. “Stronger than him. Stronger than me.”
He slowly sank to his knees, “Please, Lily. Put the knife down.”