Chapter 8: Elias the Guard

Morning came soft and grey over the villa. Rain had started in the night and left the garden smelling clean and wild. Mara watched the drops run down the balcony rail and felt the villa press in around her like a living thing.

She had learned names here.

The security room was packed with monitors displaying grainy images of driveways and paths. People moved about like pieces on a chessboard. In the center of it all stood Elias, arms crossed, observing everything around him with a serious gaze that suggested he understood more than he let on.

When she entered, he turned to face her. it was the first time seeing up close his features were less intimidating than she had imagined—he had clean lines and a small scar on his temple, but it was his eyes that stood out, revealing a depth of understanding.

“Madam,” he said. He didn’t smile. “I heard you were curious.”

“I am.” She said. By the way, don't call me that. Mara call me that.

He nodded.” You run this?”

“We keep this place from falling apart.” Elias stepped forward and offered his hand.

She took it. The warmth of his palm surprised her. It was steady, like a rope.

He led her around the room, pointing to screens. “These cameras watch the gates, the grounds, the staff quarters. If anyone moves where they shouldn’t, we see it. We listen. We have eyes in things you wouldn’t expect to have eyes.” he explained plainly. “You should know where they look. Not so you can spy—so you don’t walk into danger blind.”

As she watched a small light blink on one of the monitors, it was as if she had found a guide in a dark wilderness. “Why are you sharing this with me?” she asked.

“Because you asked, and the boss wants you to know. If something happens, knowing where to go can help you stay safe.” He paused, then added, “And because I don’t think you should be left alone with your worries.”

The words landed heavier than he meant them to. Mara felt something shift. Elias was not warm. He was not easy. But he had a kind of plain honesty that made her want to trust him.

He showed her how to read the cameras, how to move quietly, how to hold herself when men approached. He taught her a few small things—how to stand so you don’t give someone leverage, how to open a door with your body between you and the handle. His teaching was practical, not soft. It was a kind that made Mara feel like she could be useful to herself. He is nothing like Damon.

At one point, he took a pair of gloves from a drawer and offered them to her. “These are for the garden, in case you go out,” he said.

She looked at him. “Why do you care?”

Elias hesitated for a moment, and for a brief instant, his eyes revealed something vulnerable. “Because it bothers me to see you scared,” he admitted. Then, shifting back to his guarded demeanor, he added “Because Boss gives orders.”

Hearing Damon’s name filled her with a mix of emotions—jealousy and gratitude intertwined. Damon provided her with protection and set the rules. While Elias followed Damon, his gentler approach made Damon’s control seem harsh by comparison.

They walked the grounds together. Elias talked about patrol routes and blind spots while Mara listened. In a quiet corner behind the library, where the roses hid a small bench, Elias stopped and looked at her.

“You don’t belong to this world,” he said. “None of you should.”

Mara’s throat tightened. “None of us chose it.”

“Some people,” Elias said, “are given choices that look like orders. Some people are paid to pretend loyalty. Watch everyone twice.” He said it like a warning and like a secret. “And don’t talk too much to the staff. Their mouths get paid.”

Mara took his advice to heart, understanding that the villa was filled with individuals who might betray her for the right price. Her illusions had vanished.

When she asked Elias if any of the guards had changed in the last week, his jaw tightened. He didn’t answer right away. Then, said: “ There’s been some unusual activity. I’m keeping an eye on it.” His tone promised vigilance.

A wave of fear surged through her. “Who?”

Elias met her gaze, and for a moment, she thought he might share more—but he simply replied, “Not now. When Damon wants you to know, you won’t have to know everything.”

It felt like a door was being shut in her face, and Mara didn’t like that feeling.

“You two are taking too long,” Damon said flatly. “Isla is going to need more help today.”

Elias nodded in response, showing respect but no emotion, and walked away, leaving Mara alone under Damon’s watchful gaze.

They returned to the house where Damon waited in the hall, arms folded, watching them like a hawk. For a moment, Elias and Damon exchanged a glance filled with unspoken understanding. Then Damon’s attention shifted to Mara.

“You two talk too long,”Damon said flatly. “Isla will need the extra hands today.”

With a respectful nod, Elias stepped away, disappearing down the hall, leaving Mara feeling both unsettled and intrigued.

Damon stepped closer to her. She could feel him searching her face, assessing her. She had trained with Elias, learning the ins and outs of the surveillance systems in their world. Damon’s eyes moved from her face to her hands, where she wore the gloves she had received from Elias. “Was he… teaching you alone?” His tone seemed casual, but his jaw was tense.

“Yes.” Mara said feeling a sense of boldness. “He told me how the cameras work.”

“And?” Damon’s voice sparp.

“And I can stand up for myself if I need to,” she answered. “He’s not trying to take you from me.”

Her honest words hung in the air. For a brief moment, Damon’s expression softened, but it quickly turned serious again. “You to listen to him carefully. But you should also listen to me.” He reached out, and for just a fleeting moment, his fingers brushed against her arm. It wasn’t aggressive; it felt like a mix of concern and ownership.

Mara felt it as both a tether and a spark. “I will,” she said.

Damon’s gaze shifted to the security monitors like a boxer checking his space before a match. “Elias is loyal,” he finally said. “He has saved this place before. But loyalty can sometimes be broken.”

The idea that loyalty could falter made her uneasy. “Who would betray him?” she asked softly.

Damon didn’t answer. He turned and walked away, his long strides quickly leading him out of her sight. Outside, it started to rain again, a steady downpour that filled the house with a sound that seemed to wash away the tension.

Mara watched his back and the way his shoulders held an entire world in their square. Elias’s warning sat in the pit of her stomach. Damon’s touch still hummedalong her skin.

She was beginning to navigate a world filled with secrets and hidden motives. Each lesson she learned left small impressions on her, marks only she would remember.

Outside, a camera blinked in the rain, while inside, doors closed, and the villa held onto its small secrets—ones that could burst out unexpectedly.

Mara wrapped her hands around the gloves Elias had given her and felt, for the first time, that she might not be entirely powerless. That realization felt like a small victory.

But the lesson remained: trust carefully. And always, always watch the shadows.