The Day He Forgot He Hated Me by Evangeline Marrow 89

The Day He Forgot He Hated Me by Evangeline Marrow 89 Summary

The story opens with a tense and eerie moment as Gage suddenly disappears, leaving the forest unnaturally silent. The narrator feels a painful, pulsating mark on her skin that seems connected to Gage, signaling a mysterious bond between them. Asher and Arlo express concern and urgency, revealing that Gage has been taken by a guardian and changed in a dangerous way. Despite warnings, the narrator insists on finding Gage, believing he is still her best friend and that their connection is a vital clue.

Returning to their packhouse, tensions flare as Dennis blames the narrator for what happened to Gage, accusing her of letting the temple’s magic affect her. The narrator counters with accusations of his silence and betrayal, highlighting deep emotional conflicts within their group. Meanwhile, Arlo studies an ancient Codex that explains the guardian’s role in maintaining a balance between light and shadow, revealing that Gage and the narrator represent two halves of a powerful bloodline. The guardian seeks to use them both to restore itself, raising the stakes for their mission.

A sudden vision shows the narrator a haunted Gage warning her not to come, but she remains determined to help him. The group prepares carefully, armed with weapons and charms, and follows the pull of the narrator’s mark to a second temple hidden in a dark cave. Inside, they find Gage facing a black mirror, his expression torn between pain and sorrow. He tells them the darkness is now part of him and that he and the narrator are two halves of the same bloodline, embodying light and dark.

As the confrontation escalates, the guardian’s influence becomes apparent as Gage’s reflection in the mirror speaks ominously about balance and inevitability. The mark on both Gage and the narrator flares with intense energy, causing Gage to scream in agony. Despite Asher’s efforts to protect the narrator, the invisible bond pulls her forward as shadows swirl around them. The temple floor collapses, plunging them into darkness, ending the chapter on a cliffhanger with Asher’s desperate scream.

The world seemed to freeze the moment Gage disappeared. The usual chorus of the forest—the rustling leaves, chirping birds, and distant animal calls—fell silent, replaced by a heavy stillness that pressed down on us all. Even the trees appeared to lean in, their ancient limbs bending as if to witness the strange event that had just unfolded.

No one dared to break the silence. The faint, shimmering light where Gage had vanished lingered briefly, casting an eerie glow before fading completely into the shadows.

My mark flared painfully, throbbing in my skin like a heartbeat that wasn’t my own. I instinctively pressed my palm against it, feeling a strange, almost sentient energy pulsing beneath my fingers, as though the mark itself was reaching out, desperate to find him.

Asher shifted beside me, his face taut with tension. “He’s gone,” he said quietly, the weight of the loss evident in his voice.

Arlo gripped the Codex tightly, his knuckles white. “That wasn’t teleportation. The guardian took him,” he declared, his tone grim.

I turned toward Arlo, determination burning in my eyes. “Then we find him. We can’t just leave him behind.”

Asher’s jaw clenched hard. “He’s dangerous now. Whatever the guardian did to him, it wasn’t mercy. He’s part of it now.”

My voice wavered as I replied, “He’s still Gage. I can feel him inside, no matter what. He’s still my best friend.”

Arlo frowned, confusion flickering across his face. “You can feel him?”

I nodded, swallowing hard. “It’s like there’s a string tied between us—some energy from the temple. It’s pulling me toward him.”

Asher’s expression darkened further. “That worries me. That connection could lead the guardian right to you.”

I shook my head stubbornly. “Or maybe it’s the only way we find him before it takes complete control.”

He studied me for a long moment, then sighed heavily. “Fine. But not yet. We need to return to the packhouse first—to gather supplies, weapons, and answers. If this spreads, we can’t go in blind.”

Arlo agreed with a nod. “I need time to decode the rest of the Codex. There’s something hidden in it—something we missed before Gage changed.”

I didn’t argue. The ache in my chest was suffocating, the pull toward Gage constant—faint but insistent, like a distant call I couldn’t ignore. I had no idea how much time we had before the darkness fully consumed him.

The journey back swallowed the rest of the day. None of us spoke much; the forest felt unnatural now, too quiet, as if the entire world was holding its breath in anticipation of something terrible.

When we finally reached the edge of our territory, Dennis and Petra stood near the tree line, their faces etched with worry.

Petra’s eyes widened when she saw us. “What happened? You all look like you’ve seen ghosts.”

Asher said nothing, walking past her toward the main building with stiff, purposeful strides. His body was rigid, every movement sharp and controlled.

I lingered behind, trying to explain as best I could, though I couldn’t bring myself to meet Dennis’s gaze. “We found the temple… and the guardian. Gage didn’t come out the same.”

Dennis frowned deeply. “Not the same?”

“He’s still alive,” I whispered softly, “but something changed him. The guardian marked him.”

Petra’s face drained of color, her breath catching as she took in the news.

I nodded, my fingers brushing the burning mark that had grown fiercer beneath my skin.

Dennis’s voice cut sharply through the tension. “You never should’ve gone to that temple, Trinity. Now look what’s happened.”

My head snapped toward him, anger flaring. “Don’t you dare blame me.”

“Who else am I supposed to blame?” he shot back, voice rising. “You let it touch you, and now Gage is—”

“Stop!” I shouted, trembling with fury. “You think I wanted this?”

Dennis stepped closer, his face rigid with frustration. “You brought this on him! Whatever’s inside you—it’s spreading.”

“No, Dennis. You did this. You kept silent for years.”

He froze as my anger spilled over.

“You lied to me my whole life! You knew what I was, what his mark meant—and you said nothing while you watched me break.”

“I was trying to protect you,” he growled.

I laughed, bitter and cold. “Protect me? You ruined me. Gage is changed because of your silence.”

“You don’t understand how dangerous this is—”

“Oh, I understand perfectly. You wanted control. And now look at what you’ve done.”

“Do you think I wanted this? To lose you?” His hands trembled, his voice cracking.

“You lost me the moment you chose to lie,” I said, voice low and sharp.

He looked devastated, but I didn’t care.

“Don’t blame me again,” I hissed. “This is your fault.”

He said nothing, his eyes shimmering with a mix of rage and regret.

The forest was silent except for the pounding in my ears and the burning mark beneath my skin, as if it agreed with every word.

Inside the packhouse, Arlo spread his notes and the Codex across the long wooden table. The ancient pages shimmered faintly, the words shifting as if alive.

Asher stood behind him, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the Codex but clearly distracted. I could sense his unease through our bond.

Arlo rubbed his tired eyes. “The Codex speaks of the Blood of the First Moon. Long ago, one wolf line was chosen to guard the balance between light and shadow—your line, Trinity.”

I frowned, trying to grasp the meaning. “Guard the balance? Between what exactly?”

“Between the spirit of the Moon and the blood of the Earth,” Arlo explained. “The guardian you faced was part of that balance. But when the bloodline fractured, it was trapped in the temples.”

Asher leaned forward, tension radiating from him. “And now that it’s free?”

Arlo’s face grew pale. “It’s searching for a new vessel—someone from the bloodline it can use.”

A chill ran down my spine. “That’s why it marked Gage.”

Arlo nodded. “Yes. It’s linking to both of you—one light, one shadow. Two halves of a single power.”

Asher slammed his hand on the table in frustration. “So it wants to use Trinity—and Gage—to rebuild itself.”

“Exactly,” Arlo confirmed. “If it succeeds, it could become more powerful than ever before. It might even control the entire bloodline.”

My heart hammered wildly. “No. We can stop it. We have to.”

Before anyone could respond, my mark flared suddenly—bright and scorching. I gasped, clutching my chest as the room blurred around me.

A vision flooded my mind.

Gage.

He stood alone in a stone hall, flickering torches casting long shadows on the walls. His eyes glowed gold, his skin pale and drawn from exhaustion. The same shadowy cloak wrapped around him, whispering words I couldn’t understand. Behind him, the bloodline symbol burned with a fierce red light.

Then he looked up, his eyes locking with mine through the vision.

“Trinity,” his voice echoed softly in my head, strained and haunting. “You shouldn’t come.”

And just as suddenly, the vision vanished.

I collapsed forward, gasping for breath. Asher caught me before I hit the floor.

“What did you see?” he demanded urgently.

I steadied myself, breath shaky. “He’s alive. Somewhere in another temple. Darker. The mark showed me where he is.”

Asher cursed under his breath. “That pull—it’s leading you straight to him.”

Arlo flipped through the Codex, his face pale. “It makes sense. The guardian is using your bond to draw you together. If you find him, it finds you.”

I stood unsteadily. “We can’t ignore him. He’s still one of us. We’ll need him.”

Asher spun to face me sharply. “No. Not yet.”

“Yes, we are,” I met his gaze firmly. “He’s part of this now, whether you like it or not. If that thing inside him grows stronger, he won’t survive.”

Asher was silent for a moment, then rubbed his forehead with a sigh. “Fine. But we do this carefully. We go in together—no one faces him alone.”

I nodded, though the burning mark seemed to have its own agenda.

The next morning, we packed in silence. Dennis helped Asher prepare silver blades, vials of wolfsbane, and moonstone charms. Petra handed me a small pouch of herbs, her eyes filled with worry.

“Be careful,” she whispered. “That magic… it can twist feelings. Love can turn to anger.”

When we were ready, Asher led us through the dense forest, following the faint tug of my mark, like an invisible thread weaving through the trees.

Hours passed as we walked. The path grew darker, the air colder, thick with an unsettling energy.

“I don’t like this,” Arlo murmured. “It feels wrong, like the shadows themselves are moving.”

“They are,” Asher said quietly, alert. “Stay close.”

A sharp sting burned in my chest, and I stumbled. Asher caught me instantly.

“He’s close,” I whispered.

The feeling led us to a stone cliffside, where thick vines cloaked a dark cave etched with glowing runes. The icy air carried faint whispers that seemed to echo inside my mind.

“This is it,” Arlo said softly. “The second temple.”

Inside, the walls were carved with images of wolves, moons, and spirals of light and shadow. The whispers grew louder, filling my head with a haunting chorus.

Then I saw him.

Gage stood at the far end, facing a black-stone mirror. His reflection smiled, but his real expression was filled with pain.

“Gage,” I said softly.

He turned, his golden eyes heavy with sorrow. “You came.”

“We had to,” I replied. “We’re here to help.”

He shook his head slowly. “You shouldn’t have come. It’s too late.”

Asher stepped beside me, voice low but fierce. “You’re not thinking straight. Fight it.”

Gage’s face hardened. “You think I haven’t? It’s in my blood now. Just like hers.” He pointed at me. “We’re the same, Trinity.”

“No,” I said, stepping closer. “You’re stronger than it. I can help.”

He looked at me, then offered a faint, sad smile. “You already have. You showed me what I am.”

My heart raced. “And what is that?”

“The other half,” he whispered. “The bloodline doesn’t want a single heir. It wants balance. You’re the light. I’m the dark.”

Asher growled lowly. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

Gage’s voice shifted, colder and more distant. “Oh, he knows. He’s remembering.”

Arlo’s eyes widened in alarm. “The guardian. It’s speaking through him.”

The torches flared suddenly. Gage’s reflection in the mirror grinned wider, though his real face did not.

“The balance must return. One cannot exist without the other.”

The mirror cracked, and my mark burst into brilliant light. Gage doubled over, screaming in agony as the same mark on his neck blazed gold.

“Trinity, step back!” Asher shouted, grabbing me, but the invisible pull between us dragged me forward.

“Asher!” I cried, reaching out, but my hand slipped away.

The mark exploded with blinding energy. Gage reached for me as shadows twisted and curled around us.

“Don’t fight it,” he echoed. “It’s already chosen.”

Before Asher or Arlo could intervene, the floor beneath us shattered, swallowing us into darkness.

The last sound I heard was Asher screaming my name.

Then everything went black.

Sara Lili

Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.