By the time Silas finished patching him up, Aiden felt like a new man—or as close to it as someone in his position could. He stood, testing his balance, and gave Silas a wary nod.
"So what now?" he asked.
Silas smiled faintly. "Now, you rest. Tomorrow, we talk about what’s next."
Aiden raised an eyebrow. "And if I decide I don’t want to be part of whatever this is?"
Silas’s smile didn’t waver. "Then you’re free to leave. No strings attached."
Silas’ words caught Aiden off guard. He had spent so long under the thumb of people who saw him as property, as a tool to be used and discarded. Freedom was a foreign concept—but for the first time, it felt within reach.
"Guess we’ll see," he muttered, brushing past Silas and heading toward the room that Silas pointed to him.
As he disappeared down the hallway, Silas leaned against the counter, his expression thoughtful. Luna’s voice in his head broke the silence.
{You think he’ll stay?}
Silas shrugged. "I don’t know. But if he does, he’ll be an asset. And if he doesn’t... at least he’ll have a chance at a life."
{Strange. Most people wouldn’t go to such lengths for a stranger.}
"Yeah but I’m not most people and neither is Aiden," Silas replied.
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{Yes. You’re not and that’s why you’re my master. But you still haven’t told me what is it about Aiden that makes you want him so much.}
Silas silently looked into the distance when he heard Luna’s question. The thing is that after he woke up from his second evolution metamorphosises, a lot of things about him changed, with or without his knowledge.
It was a strange feeling. The best way to explain it would be that he became someone else entirely, yet still being himself.
"You will know very soon, Luna. Just trust me," Silas said as he walked to a section of the warehouse.
The faint sound of footsteps made him glance up. Aiden stood at the doorway, his posture hesitant but his gaze steady.
"Morning," Silas greeted casually, setting down the drone.
Aiden stepped inside, his eyes scanning the cluttered workspace. "Didn’t think you’d still be here. I thought someone like you would have bigger plans than babysitting a guy like me."
Silas chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "You’re not wrong. I do have bigger plans. But that doesn’t mean I can’t take a moment to help someone who deserves it."
"Deserves it?" Aiden scoffed, folding his arms. "You don’t know anything about me."
"I know enough," Silas replied calmly. "I know you’ve been fighting for your life in that arena for years, not because you wanted to, but because you had no choice.
I know you’ve been forced into situations where survival meant sacrificing pieces of yourself. And I know you’re still standing despite it all."
Aiden’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. Silas’s words hit too close to home.
"So what? You think you’re some kind of savior?" Aiden’s voice was sharp, laced with bitterness. "You think throwing money around and giving me a bed makes you better than the rest of them?"
Silas stood slowly, meeting Aiden’s glare with calm resolve. "I don’t think I’m better than anyone and I’m not here to save you. I’m here to give you a choice."
Aiden’s shoulders sagged slightly, the tension in his frame easing. He looked away, his voice quieter now.
"And what if I don’t want whatever it is you’re offering?"
"Then just like I said before, you can simply walk away," Silas said simply.
"No strings, no debts. You’re free to live your life however you see fit. But if you stay, I can promise you something most people can’t—purpose. A chance to be part of something bigger than yourself."
Aiden didn’t respond immediately. He stared at the floor, his thoughts a chaotic storm.
Finally, he looked up, his eyes searching Silas’s face for any sign of deceit. He found none.
"What do you want from me?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Silas smiled faintly. "Your trust. That’s all."