By the time Silas finished patching him up, Aiden felt like a new manâor 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 whatâs next."
Aiden raised an eyebrow. "And if I decide I donât want to be part of whatever this is?"
Silasâs smile didnât waver. "Then youâre free to leave. No strings attached."
Silasâ 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 conceptâbut for the first time, it felt within reach.
"Guess weâll 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. Lunaâs voice in his head broke the silence.
{You think heâll stay?}
Silas shrugged. "I donât know. But if he does, heâll be an asset. And if he doesnât... at least heâll have a chance at a life."
{Strange. Most people wouldnât go to such lengths for a stranger.}
"Yeah but Iâm not most people and neither is Aiden," Silas replied.
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{Yes. Youâre not and thatâs why youâre my master. But you still havenât told me what is it about Aiden that makes you want him so much.}
Silas silently looked into the distance when he heard Lunaâs 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.
{I trust you and I will always be here for you, master.}
Silas paused mid-step, Lunaâs words lingering in his mind. He smiled faintly, with him being aware of what his thoughts were.
Walking into a quieter section of the warehouse, Silas found himself standing in front of a door. He opened it she walked in.
Behind the door was a small room, where he has been spending the couple of days in, instead of staying in a hotel.
He walked imto the bed in the room and slumped on it. He closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep but he was unable to as his thoughts didnât allow him to.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Aidenâs weary, bloodied expression kept flashing in his mind. Silas couldnât help but feel a pang of empathy. His past might not mirror Aidenâs, but he could recognize the shadows of despair and exhaustion in the manâs eyes.
"Freedom," Silas muttered under his breath. "Heâs never tasted it, not really."
---
Meanwhile, Aiden sat on the edge of the bed in the room Silas had pointed out. It was sparse, with only a small table, a chair, and a clean bed, but it was leagues above the cages and dingy holding rooms he was used to.
He looked at his hands, now bandaged and clean. The faint hum of power beneath his skin was both a comfort and a curse.
For years, his abilities had defined his existenceâhis value to others, his chains. But Silas... Silas had paid $300 million for him and yet promised freedom. No strings attached.
If course he didnât know how much Silas paid for his freedom but he knew that it would be no small amount.
He knew the kind of people his previous owners are and just how greedy they are for benefits. And the fact that thereâs no strings attached is what scares him.
The thought gnawed at Aidenâs mind. Was it a trick? Some elaborate ploy? Heâd been betrayed enough times to be suspicious of any kindness. But the question is why someone like Silas would spend so much and do such length if he wants to trick him.
Also, there was something about Silas that unsettles him.
Aiden leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "What the hell am I supposed to do now?" he muttered to himself.
---
The warehouse came alive with quiet activity as the sun rose. Silas had been up for hours.
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. "Didnât think youâd 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. "Youâre not wrong. I do have bigger plans. But that doesnât mean I canât take a moment to help someone who deserves it."
"Deserves it?" Aiden scoffed, folding his arms. "You donât know anything about me."
"I know enough," Silas replied calmly. "I know youâve been fighting for your life in that arena for years, not because you wanted to, but because you had no choice.
I know youâve been forced into situations where survival meant sacrificing pieces of yourself. And I know youâre still standing despite it all."
Aidenâs jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. Silasâs words hit too close to home.
"So what? You think youâre some kind of savior?" Aidenâs 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 Aidenâs glare with calm resolve. "I donât think Iâm better than anyone and Iâm not here to save you. Iâm here to give you a choice."
Aidenâs shoulders sagged slightly, the tension in his frame easing. He looked away, his voice quieter now.
"And what if I donât want whatever it is youâre offering?"
"Then just like I said before, you can simply walk away," Silas said simply.
"No strings, no debts. Youâre free to live your life however you see fit. But if you stay, I can promise you something most people canâtâpurpose. A chance to be part of something bigger than yourself."
Aiden didnât respond immediately. He stared at the floor, his thoughts a chaotic storm.
Finally, he looked up, his eyes searching Silasâs 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. Thatâs all."