The Messenge (Iva and Nick) novel Chapter 390

Prison of Necessity

The Prison of Necessity

The days had become a performance.

Iva smiled when she was supposed to smile. She nodded when she was supposed to nod. She helped with the morning chores, tended to Youssef with the patience of a devoted mother, and endured Rauno’s increasingly frequent attention and visits with a calm she did not feel

But once the door to her small room clicked shut and she was alone with her son, the mask crumbled.

She sat on the edge of her bed, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, her mind racing with plans that seemed to lead nowhere. The walls of the abbey, once a sanctuary, now felt like a cage. The/ hunters moved through the corridors like shadows, their presence a constant reminder of the danger that surrounded her.

Youssef slept peacefully in his crib, unaware of his mother’s turmoil. His small face was serene, his tiny chest rising and falling with each breath. He was the only thing that kept her going, the only

reason she hadn’t given in to despair.

But even his innocent presence couldn’t ease the weight pressing down on her chest.

She had to escape.

She knew that with every fiber of her being. Staying here was a death sentence-not just for her,

but for her son. If the hunters ever discovered the truth about Youssef’s heritage, they would not

hesitate. They would destroy them both.

But escape was not as simple as walking out the door.

She had no money, no resources, no connections outside the abbey. The small amount of cash she had taken from Nick when she fled was tucked away in the bottom of her bag, but it was barely

enough to survive for a few months. She had no idea where she would go or how she would

support herself and Youssef once she left.

And then there was the problem of suspicion.

If she suddenly disappeared, the hunters would notice. They would search for her, question the nuns, and possibly track her down. She had to make her departure look natural-an opportunity that presented itself, a logical next step in her journey.

She had to find a job first.

A way to support herself and Youssef. A place to stay. A life that didn’t depend on the mercy of people who would kill her if they knew the truth.

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The Prison of Necessity

She could find work. She could save money. She could build a new life.

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But running away from the abbey meant running away from the safety it provided-the food, the shelter, the protection of the nuns. It meant stepping into the unknown with nothing but her wits

and her determination.

And running away from the hunters meant running away from one danger into another.

She had run from the lycans. She had run from Nick and her father. And now she was running from

the hunters.

“Lucky me,” she muttered bitterly, her voice barely a whisper.

She looked at Youssef, her heart aching with love and fear.

“Your mother is a runner,” she said softly. “But I promise you, little one. I will find a place where we can stay. I will find a home where no one will hurt us.”

She reached into her bag and pulled out the small pouch of money she had taken from Nick. It wasn’t much, but it was something. A seed of hope in the darkness.

She had to plan carefully. She had to be smart.

And she had to find a way to escape.

Before it was too late.

The dining hall was filled with the soft clatter of dishes and the low murmur of conversation.

Iva moved through her tasks with mechanical precision, her hands steady despite the chaos churning inside her. She placed the bread, filled the cups, and made sure everything was in order.

Her smile was fixed in place, a mask that she had grown accustomed to wearing.

But inside, she was screaming.

Rauno was there… again.

He had been visiting more frequently over the past week, his presence becoming a constant shadow that haunted her every step. He would appear in the corridors, in the garden, in the dining

hall-always with a smile, always with a kind word, always watching her with those dark, intense

eyes.

And earlier today, he had brought a gift.

A small stuffed rabbit, soft and brown, with floppy ears and a stitched smile. He had presented it to her with a rare, almost shy smile, his rough hands gentle as he placed it in her arms.

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The Prison of Necessity

“For the boy,” he had said. “Every child needs a friend.”

va had frozen, her heart stopping in her chest.

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She had stared at the toy, her mind racing with a thousand panicked thoughts. What if there were

signs that Youssef was different? What if the toy was a test, a way to see how her son would react? What if Rauno was trying to trap her, to expose her, to destroy her?

She had forced herself to smile, to thank him, to take the toy with trembling hands. But the moment be left, she had put it away, too afraid to let Youssef touch it.

The anxiety had been chocking ever since.

And tonight was no different.

He stood beside her, his tall frame casting a shadow over the table. His dark eyes were fixed on

her, a soft smile playing on his lips.

“Good evening, Iva,” he said, his voice low and warm.

Iva’s grip tightened on the cup in her hand.

“Good evening, Mr. Rauno,” she replied, her voice carefully neutral.

His smile flickered with a hint of displeasure.

“I’ve told you many times,” he said, his tone gentle but firm. “Just call me by my name. We’re not strangers, Iva. We’re… friends.”

Iva’s throat tightened.

Friends.

She didn’t want to be his friend. She didn’t want to be anything to him. He was a hunter, a man who would kill her son without a second thought if he ever discovered the truth. Every moment in his presence was a moment of danger, a moment that brought her closer to exposure.

She smiled tightly, her eyes avoiding his.

“Of course,” she said. “Rauno.”

The name felt wrong on her tongue, like a betrayal of everything she was trying to protect.

He seemed satisfied with her response, his smile widening as he settled into the seat beside her.

The meal was served, and they ate in silence. Or rather, Iva tried to eat, but the food tasted like ash in her mouth. She could feel his eyes on her, watching every movement, every gesture. The weight of his gaze pressed down on her like a physical force, making her skin prickle with unease.

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The Prison of Necessity

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She counted the minutes, praying for the meal to end so she could retreat to her room and lock the

door behind her.

But as she was almost finished, he spoke again.

“I was hoping you could give me a few minutes of your time,” he said, his voice low and earnest.

Iva’s heart stopped.

Her fork hovered mid-air, her eyes fixed on the table in front of her.

She didn’t want to talk to him. She didn’t want to be alone with him. She didn’t want to give him any opportunity to get closer, to ask questions, to uncover the truth.

But she couldn’t refuse.

Not without raising suspicion.

She set down her fork and forced herself to look at him, her expression carefully neutral.

“Of course,” she said. “What would you like to talk about?”

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