Dorian Kael leaned back into the worn leather couch, stretching out as if he had all the time in the world. Across from him, Elias sat rigidly, his hands gripping the armrests of his chair, his mind still spinning from the events of the day.

  For the first time, Elias took a proper look at the man before him. White hair, sharp features, and an air of quiet authority. Though his face bore the signs of age, there was a steely resilience in his gaze—a man who had seen more than most and survived it.

  Dorian studied him in return before speaking. “Do you live alone here?”

  “Yes,” Elias replied. His patience was wearing thin. “But can we get to the point?”

  Dorian chuckled, reaching into his coat pocket. He pulled out a small, engraved wooden pipe, its polished surface catching the light. He turned it over in his fingers before holding it out toward Elias.

  “Do you remember this?” Dorian asked.

  The moment Elias saw it, his breath hitched.

  He knew that pipe. Every detail of it.

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  His father’s most cherished possession.

  His stomach clenched. “Where did you get that?” His voice was barely above a whisper.

  Dorian exhaled a long stream of smoke before replying. “Your father and I go way back.” He tapped the side of the pipe. “I’ve been looking for him for three years.”

  Elias’s world tilted.

  “My father is alive?” he blurted out, his voice cracking. “That’s impossible. He—he never came back from that fishing trip five years ago. He drowned. The sharks got him.”

  Dorian’s eyes softened, just a fraction. “No, Elias. He was never lost at sea. That was just a story.” He leaned forward. “The truth is much bigger than that. And much darker.”

  Elias’s fingers dug into the chair. “What are you saying?”

  Dorian set the pipe down on the table between them. “That you don’t know your father at all. You only know the man he wanted you to see.” He paused, letting the words sink in. “And if you really want to know the whole truth, you’ll come to my office in two days.”

  Elias could barely breathe. “Why not tell me now?”

  “Because once you take this step, there’s no turning back.”

  Dorian stood, pulling a small, weathered card from his pocket. He placed it under the pipe and straightened his coat.

  “I hope you make the right choice,” he said, walking to the door.

  Elias sat frozen as the door clicked shut.

  For a long moment, he simply stared at the pipe.

  Then, hesitantly, he reached for the card.

  His fingers traced over the embossed letters.

  Dorian Kael

  Chief Forrester - The Forrest Within

  Elias turned the card over, exhaling shakily.

  Two days.

  That was all the time he had left before everything changed.