NOVEL NEXT Chapter 45: I Won’t Run Or Hide…
Warlock Ch 45. I Won't Run Or Hide…
Damian blinked, his mind still trying to catch up with what had just happened. He touched his lips briefly, feeling the ghost of her kiss still there, and a grin slowly spread across his face. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered, trying to play it cool, but there was no hiding the way his heart was pounding in his chest.
Evelyn laughed softly, her eyes warm and bright. "I'm serious," she said, nudging him again. "You've got a lot of catching up to do. And if you keep at this pace, you might even surpass me one day or soon."
Damian shook his head, a chuckle escaping his lips. "Now that's a bold claim," he teased. "But hey, I'm up for the challenge."
Evelyn smirked, stepping back. "We'll see about that," she said, her tone playful but with an edge of confidence. "But for now, focus on the basics. The rest will come in time."
Damian nodded. He glanced at the stack of books, and for the first time, he didn't feel overwhelmed. He felt... ready.
"Alright," he said, picking up the next book in the pile. "I guess I've got some work to do."
Evelyn gave him one last smile before turning to leave, her footsteps light. But just before she stepped out, she paused, glancing back at him. "Remember, Damian," she said, her voice soft but strong. "You're in control of this. Not the magic, not the mark, and not the dreams. You. Don't forget that."
He met her gaze. "I won't," he promised, his voice steady.
With a final nod, Evelyn slipped out of the room, leaving Damian alone with his thoughts—and his books. He stared at the pages in front of him but did not really read it. "This fate… is mine and I will be the one who controls it. I won't run or hide…" he whispered to himself. The words came out just like that before he could stop it. He wasn't sure why he said it. But he knew it was the voice that came from his heart. It was what he wanted.
Damian once again immersed himself in the books. Nothing was different from before—he could absorb the information effortlessly like he was just going over something he'd already known.
Before he knew it, he'd finished another book. And then another. The stack beside him, which had looked daunting at first, disappeared in what felt like no time at all. But one book caught his eye. It was the one about crystals, and for some reason, it drew him in more than the others. Out of everything he'd read, the section on magical crystals had stayed with him the most. There was something about it—something that made his pulse quicken and his focus sharpen.
Without thinking, he reached for the book again, flipping it open to the chapters on crystal magic.
He could feel it, deep in his chest—a pull, like an instinct driving him to know more. Maybe it was because crystals were a key to unlocking more power, more control. And after everything with Malthus, with the dreams, Damian knew he needed to get stronger, fast. He couldn't afford to be weak, to rely on anyone else to save him again.
'This is not enough…' Damian thought as he stared at the last page of the book about the crystals.
It was good—really good, actually—but somehow he knew it was just the basics. The knowledge in this book wasn't detailed enough. It wasn't giving him what he needed. He could feel it in his gut—a hunger for more, for something deeper, something that would actually help him handle the growing power inside him.
He exhaled, running a hand through his hair, frustration creeping into his chest. "I guess I'll ask Cassius for more books tomorrow," he muttered under his breath. The words felt strange coming out of his mouth.
Asking for more books? It didn't sound like him at all. A few weeks ago, he would've laughed at the idea of voluntarily diving into more study. But now? Now he felt like he couldn't get enough.
It wasn't just curiosity driving him—it was necessity. The more he learned, the more he realized how little he knew. And that scared him. There was no way he could keep up with everything happening around him, not at this pace. He needed to be better, faster, stronger. He couldn't afford to lag behind while everyone else seemed to be one step ahead—especially not when people like Malthus were out there, throwing around their power like it was nothing.
Damian finished the last sip of his drink. It had cooled off by now, no longer warm but still lukewarm enough to be comforting. He set the empty mug down on the table and glanced at the clock.
He blinked, staring at the time in disbelief. "Half an hour," he said, shaking his head slowly. There was no way. He'd finished a whole stack of books—books thicker than dictionaries—in just thirty minutes? That couldn't be right.
But it was. He knew it was. And the fact that it had happened so easily, so naturally, only confirmed what Evelyn had said. He wasn't normal. Something was different about him, something beyond just talent or intelligence. His connection to magic was growing, intensifying in ways that didn't make sense.
A part of him wanted to be proud of that. He should've felt powerful, like he was on the verge of becoming something greater. But after hearing Evelyn's story about her mentor, he knew it was a bad idea.
He didn't want to end up like that. He didn't want to become someone everyone feared, someone who was hunted down because they couldn't control the power he'd unlocked. He wasn't interested in flexing his abilities, in showing off how fast he could learn or how quickly he could absorb knowledge. Because right now, it didn't feel like something to brag about. It felt like… something dangerous that could tip the wrong way at any moment.