Nobody spoke after the recording ended.
The silence inside the room felt heavier than grief.
He found out about Victor. Kael's final words repeated inside my mind.
Slowly, I turned toward Victor.
He looked shaken.
Not guilty.
Not angry.
Just… tired.
Kael's father stood first.
"Victor."
His voice was cold.
"Tell us."
Victor closed his eyes.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Finally, he sat down heavily.
"I always knew this day would come."
Fear tightened inside me.
"What did Kael discover?"
Victor looked at me.
His eyes carried sadness.
"The truth about your father's last days."
My breathing slowed.
"What truth?"
Victor swallowed hard.
"The day your father was attacked."
He paused.
"I was with him."
The room became still.
"What?"
"He wasn't alone."
I stared at him.
"You told me he had an accident."
"I lied."
"Why?"
His voice broke slightly.
"Because your father made me promise."
Anger rose inside me.
"Stop saying that!"
Everyone always blamed promises.
Promises.
Secrets.
Protection.
I was tired of them.
"What happened that day?" I demanded.
Victor lowered his head.
"We received information that someone inside our circle had betrayed us."
"Who?"
"We didn't know."
"So you went looking?"
He nodded.
"Your father insisted."
"What happened next?"
Victor's eyes darkened.
"We walked into a trap."
The room fell silent.
"Your father pushed me away."
I froze.
"What?"
"The explosion should have killed both of us."
His voice shook.
"He saved me."
Tears filled his eyes.
"He saved me, Lena."
For the first time since I met him, Victor cried.
"I watched him bleed."
"I watched him die."
"And I couldn't save him."
Pain filled the room.
But one question remained.
"Why would Kael say they found out about you?"
Victor looked broken.
"Because I spent years believing I was the reason your father died."
Kael's father frowned.
"No."
Victor looked up.
"What?"
"You aren't."
Everyone turned toward him.
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
Kael's father slowly removed his glasses.
"The traitor your father was searching for…"
His voice became quiet.
"Was never Victor."
My heartbeat stopped.
"Then who?"
He looked directly at me.
"The person who betrayed your father disappeared before we could expose them."
My hands clenched.
"Who was it?"
His answer came softly.
"We only knew them by one name."
Silence.
Then, "Shadow."
The name sent chills through the room.
Victor slowly stood.
"No."
"It can't be."
Kael's father nodded sadly.
"It is."
"Shadow never existed," Victor whispered.
"That's what we all believed."
I looked between them.
"Who is Shadow?"
Victor answered quietly.
"A ghost."
"A person nobody could identify."
"The one responsible for destroying entire families."
"The one your father spent years hunting."
Cold fear settled inside me.
Then another horrifying thought appeared.
"Did my mother know Shadow?"
Kael's father looked away.
Victor didn't answer.
Which meant yes.
But before I could ask another question, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
Again.
Everyone stared at it.
Slowly, I answered.
"Hello?"
Heavy breathing filled the line.
Then, "Lena."
My entire body froze.
Kael.
Weak.
In pain.
Alive.
"Kael!"
His breathing sounded uneven.
"They know."
"What? Where are you?"
"No time."
"Kael, tell me where you are!"
His voice became weaker.
"Don't trust. Then, suddenly, another voice interrupted.
A man's voice.
Cold.
Calm.
Terrifying.
"Mr Kael has said enough."
My blood ran cold.
"Who are you?"
A small laugh echoed through the phone.
Then the stranger said six words that stopped my heart.
"I've been waiting for you, Lena."
The call disconnected.
And for the first time since this war began, I felt something worse than fear.
Because somehow.
The enemy finally knew my name.
Who do you think Shadow really is? Someone Lena already knows, or a completely new enemy?