Xavier's POV
I glanced at Ace from the corner of my eye. He was clearly more competent than I thought, his instincts sharp, and his attention unwavering despite the suffocating energy. It wasn't that I doubted him, but seeing someone that young handle such an environment with ease was unexpected.
Atlas nudged me as we moved toward the west wing. "You okay?" he asked.
I nodded, keeping my voice low. "Fine. Just trying to get a read on this place. It's... suffocating."
Atlas gave a lopsided grin. "Yeah. I hate to admit it, but that Ace guy? He knows his stuff. You don't meet many who walk into a haunted mansion without flinching."
I hummed in agreement. "Keep your guard up. If he says it's worse than expected, we should be ready for anything."
Atlas rolled his shoulders, trying to shake off the tension. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't let your CEO bravado get you killed."
I shot him a glare, but it lacked real heat. Truth was, I wasn't used to feeling out of my depth. Usually, my presence alone was enough to make others wary, but in this place, I felt small. I hated it.
We continued down the corridor, each step heavier than the last. Suddenly, a door slammed shut behind us, and Atlas immediately put his hand on my shoulder, stopping me.
"Did you hear that?" he whispered.
I nodded. "Yeah. Stay alert. We're not alone."
Just then, the temperature dropped significantly, and I could see my breath misting in front of me. Atlas cursed under his breath, and I gripped the flashlight tighter. Whatever was here wasn't friendly, and we were just beginning to scratch the surface of its presence.
Before Atlas and I could move ahead, Ace and Phoenix came back, looking visibly shaken. Ace's usual composed demeanor was marred by a hint of frustration and exhaustion, and Phoenix stayed unusually quiet, his gaze fixed on the ground.
"We shouldn't go in today," Ace stated firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. That alone told me how serious the situation was. If someone like him, who seemed used to dealing with the supernatural, admitted defeat for the day, it meant we were dealing with something far more dangerous than anticipated.
I nodded, respecting his decision without pushing it further. "Alright, we'll back off for now. No point in getting reckless."
As Ace moved past me, my eyes landed on a fresh wound on his arm. Blood was seeping through the fabric of his hoodie, staining the sleeve a dark crimson. I raised a brow and grabbed his arm gently but firmly. "Hold on. You're bleeding."
He looked down as if noticing it for the first time. "It's nothing. Just a scratch."
I wasn't buying it. "A scratch doesn't look like that. You're getting treated, whether you like it or not."
He opened his mouth to protest, but I cut him off with a stern look. "I'm not letting you bleed out just because you're too stubborn to admit you're hurt. Now get in the car."
He grumbled something under his breath but didn't argue further. Atlas gave a quick glance back, looking torn between staying with his cousin and going with Phoenix. "I'll drop Phoenix off," he offered, and I nodded.
Ace hesitated for a moment, then dug into his pocket and handed Atlas the bike keys. "Take care of it," he muttered, still not entirely comfortable with the idea.
Atlas gave a playful salute, the usual smirk on his face. "Don't worry, Captain Serious. I got it covered."
Phoenix looked between us before following Atlas to the bike, and I could tell he was still a bit shaken from whatever happened inside. The kid was good at keeping a straight face, but even I could see through it.
Once they were gone, I turned my attention back to Ace and opened the passenger door for him. He shot me a look, half annoyed and half resigned. "I can manage myself," he muttered, but he still let me help him in.
"Yeah, sure," I replied, keeping my tone even. "Managing yourself is how you ended up bleeding all over the place."
He gave me a pointed glare but didn't say anything. I moved around to the driver's side and got in, starting the engine. Silence filled the car as I pulled away from the mansion, the weight of what we just encountered hanging between us.
I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. "You sure you're alright?"
Ace just sighed and leaned his head back against the seat. "Yeah. Just underestimated it, that's all. I didn't expect there to be so many... or for them to be that hostile."
I tightened my grip on the wheel, my mind going back to how Ace never seemed the type to back down easily. "We'll regroup and plan it out properly. No point in risking lives."
He didn't reply, just looked out the window, deep in thought. I took that as a sign to let him process whatever was going through his mind.
After a moment, he spoke, almost too softly to catch. "I shouldn't have brought Phoenix with me today."
I glanced at him, seeing the guilt creeping into his expression. "Hey," I said firmly, "you couldn't have known it would turn out like that. You're doing your best to protect him. That's all anyone can do."
He didn't reply, but the tension in his shoulders seemed to ease just a bit. I knew better than to push him into talking more, so I let the silence settle again, keeping my focus on the road.
We'd get him patched up and come back more prepared next time. Whatever was in that mansion wasn't going to get the best of us.