Maria.

I skidded to a stop in front of Noah’s door, my chest heaving and my hands trembling slightly as I pressed them against the wood. I could hear the rapid thump of my heartbeat in my ears. The hallway felt suffocating, the walls closing in, and every step I had taken toward him seemed insignificant compared to the storm raging inside me.

I lifted my hand and knocked, not even bothering to give it a gentle rap. My impatience didn’t allow it.

A second later, the door opened, and there he was—Noah. His expression shifted instantly from calm to concerned as he took in the state I was in.

"Maria?" His voice was low, cautious, but tinged with that sharp edge I had learned to recognize, the one he used when something serious had his attention.

I didn’t speak immediately. I simply grabbed his hand, gripping it tightly as if holding on to him could keep the world from spinning further out of control.

"Noah... I need to tell you something," I panted, my words spilling out faster than I could even organize them. "Something I... I saw something...in Daniel’s room."

His eyebrows knitted together concern sharpening. "What did you see?" he asked, his voice calm but urgent, and his hand squeezing mine gently as if anchoring me.

I swallowed hard and took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. "There...there was a portrait of me, Noah." I paused, unsure whether to continue. "A painting—my face, him... it’s like he studied me or something. And there was a map. A detailed map of the Moon Bridge territory. The corrupted half... the park. He had it hidden under his pillow, and I... I found it." My voice quivered slightly at the last words.

Noah’s eyes darkened instantly, and a shiver of unease ran down my spine. He pulled me gently into the room, closing the door behind us, and then guided me toward the far side, away from the shadows of the walls.

"Calm down, Maria. Sit," he instructed softly, though there was an intensity under his words that made it clear he was processing everything I had just said.

I lowered myself onto the chair by the side of his bed, my hands twisting nervously in my lap as I continued. "I... I don’t understand, Noah. Why does he have my portrait? And the map? Galen has asked for, and Daniel... he looked at her... in a way that made me feel like they knew each other. But when I asked him, he said no." My voice faltered, a mixture of fear and disbelief weaving through it.

Noah crouched down in front of me, his emerald eyes locking onto mine, grounding me in a way that made my thoughts pause for the briefest second. "Maria...," he said slowly, his hand reaching to brush a strand of hair behind my ear. "I understand why this is confusing. It... it doesn’t make sense right now, but you need to stay calm. Do you hear me?"

I nodded quickly, the tension in my chest easing just slightly as I felt the warmth of his hand, the steadiness of his presence. "I... I just—" My words caught in my throat. How could I explain the strange mixture of fear, suspicion, and curiosity that had gripped me?

Noah’s thumb brushed over my hand, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I know," he said softly. "I trust you saw what you saw for a reason, Maria. But right now... the important thing is that you’re safe. Nothing is going to happen to you while I’m here."

My chest tightened. His words hit me harder than I expected. My heart fluttered, melting at the sincerity in his voice. I nodded again, letting the weight of his promise sink into me. "I... I understand," I whispered, though part of me still felt too shaken to fully grasp the situation.

He leaned back slightly, scratching the back of his head, and for a moment, he looked almost unsure, human, which made my heart skip. "For now Maria, don’t tell anyone about it." he said, his voice quiet, almost hesitant.

"I won’t, Noah," I managed to say.

My voice came out softer than I intended, carrying a quiet sincerity that lingered between us. The promise felt fragile on my tongue, yet real enough that I held onto it.

"And thank you for trusting me," he added.

There was something steady in his tone, something that made the words settle deeper than they should have. It wasn’t just what he said, it was the way he said it, calm and certain. As if trusting me had never been a question to him.

I tried to force a small smile at him.

The corners of my lips twitched upward, but the effort felt unnatural, like I was trying to hold onto something that kept slipping away. The smile barely lasted a second before it faltered, fading almost as quickly as it appeared.

Noah noticed.

Of course he did.

He watched me for a moment, his gaze unwavering, as if searching for something beneath the surface I was trying so hard to maintain. There was no pressure in his expression, no demand,just quiet observation that somehow felt more intense than anything else.

Then, without warning, he leaned forward.

The movement was slow, deliberate, leaving no room for doubt about his intention as he closed the distance between us. My breath caught slightly, my body going still as he drew closer.

His lips brushed mine gently at first.

Soft.

Careful.

Almost as though he was testing the moment, giving me the chance to pull away if I wanted to.

But I didn’t.

And then the kiss deepened, gaining a quiet intensity as he pulled me closer. His presence surrounded me, warm and steady, and for a brief second, my body stiffened in surprise before slowly, instinctively, relaxing into him.

The tension I had been holding onto began to melt.

Piece by piece.

The warmth of him seeped into me, grounding me in a way I hadn’t realized I needed. His touch wasn’t overwhelming, it was consuming in a quieter, more dangerous way.

For a few long seconds, nothing else existed but the two of us.

The chaos outside.

The portrait.

The map.

Everything faded into the background, dissolving into a distant, meaningless hum.

All I could feel was him.

The closeness.

The steady pull of the moment as Noah kissed me, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to let go.

Because recently, I couldn’t even explain the effect Noah had on me.

It didn’t make sense.

Nothing about it did.

And yet, all I knew was this...I wanted to be close to him.

To stay in moments like this.

To feel his presence wrap around me, just like it was now.

As if, somehow, being here with him was the only place everything finally felt...quiet