HEART TO HEART

ELI'S POV

After everyone had left Pa's home, I stood in the garden, taking a long breath. The cool evening air settled around me, but it didn't ease the weight in my chest. Pa was gone. Dead. And now, we had Odon threatening us—his presence like a dark cloud hovering over everything. Senator Liam and Judge William, Pa's so-called friends, didn't seem to care. Their indifference had been clear throughout the day, making the situation even worse. It was hard to believe how things had spiraled like this.

I heard footsteps behind me and turned around. Maurice was walking over, his face heavy with the same burden I felt. He came to stand beside me, both of us staring at the sky in silence. The horizon was starting to blend into the night, streaks of color fading into nothingness.

I waited. If Maurice had something to say, I wasn't going to rush him.