Stranger's Promise

TER

evenings. Elias was no longer a shadow in the house. He was presence. He

peace has

ow long buried, always

with a ph

kitchen wall rang for

it rang. He answered afte

la

d from drying dishes, watching the way h

apped. "You promised that part

sto

lis

like pain mixed with

he call. D

ped forwar

't look

d finally. "Letting myself

harply. "Don't pull

have a

ys have a

nemies. Real ones. The kind that wait years

rt pounding. "You thin

You shouldn't have t

to. Maybe I'

shoul

e walk

ed a

vani

estate, every hallway, every do

felt like it did the

o

pt

isting across her skin, her he

ppear," she whispered.

darkness beyond the

n't go

he carried ha

ka wasn

t