SHADOWS OF THE OAT

CHAPTER 7

The cheap motel room smells like old cigarettes and damp carpet. The kind of place where people disappear, where the walls hold too many secrets. It’s perfect for hiding. And right now, that’s exactly what I need.

Outside, a flickering neon sign casts red and blue flashes through the thin curtains, painting the walls like a broken strobe light. I watch the colors shift, almost hypnotized, but not enough to ignore the heavy weight in my chest.

I sit on the edge of the bed, head in my hands, fingers pressing against my temples. The headache is sharp, relentless, pounding at the back of my skull. I shut my eyes, trying to focus. Trying to remember.

A name keeps echoing in my mind.

Elias Graves.

It won’t go away. It’s like a splinter under my skin—always there, always itching. I’ve spent hours searching, calling in favors, hacking into databases that should have been impossible to access. Nothing.

No records. No background. It’s like he never existed.

And yet, I know he’s important.

I lean back, letting out a slow breath. Frustration sits thick in my chest. My ribs ache from the earlier fight, a sharp pain shooting through my side, but it’s nothing compared to what’s happening in my head.

This headache. This feeling that I’m missing something.

I know it’s all connected.

The name. The memory loss. The Oath hunting me down.

I close my eyes again. My body feels heavy, my mind spinning. Then—it happens.

A flash.

Not a thought. Not a dream. A memory.

It’s blurry, faded, like an old photo left in the sun too long. But I hear it.

"You’ll have to choose, Nathan."

The voice is familiar. I know this person.

Then I hear my own voice.

"I don’t break my Oath."

The words feel solid. Like something I truly believed.

But the memory shifts again, turning dark, fading like a radio signal cutting out. Then—

"You already did."

The words hit me like a punch.

I snap upright, gasping for air.

The pain in my head spikes, like a knife behind my eyes. The room sways for a second, and I grip the bed to keep steady. Sweat beads on my forehead.

What did I do?

What choice did I make?

The Oath had been my purpose. My mission. My life.

No.

I shake my head hard, pushing the thought away.

Now is not the time to break down.

I run a hand through my hair, gripping it tight as if that will somehow clear my mind. I need to focus.

Elias Graves.

He holds the answers. I’m sure of it.

But how do I find him when it feels like he’s been erased from the world?

Every lead is a dead end. No records. No whispers. No one even admits to knowing him. Someone wanted him to disappear.

The Oath controlled everything. They trained me. Shaped me. Used me like a weapon. I never asked questions. I just followed orders.

And now? Now I don’t even know who I am.

I close my eyes again, trying to pull the memory back, trying to fit the pieces together. But it’s all fragments, broken and out of order.

The room feels smaller. Tighter. Like the walls are closing in.

I need answers.

My hand shakes as I reach for my phone. I dial the one number I know I can trust.

Sarah.

The phone rings. Once. Twice. Then—

"Nathan, you’re in deep."

Her voice is low, careful. She knows something.

"Sarah," I say, forcing my voice to stay calm. "I need your help."

A pause. She’s thinking.

"I knew you would," she says finally. But her tone is different. Almost… hesitant.

"I need information on Elias Graves," I press. "Who is he?"

She takes a slow breath. "Nathan, that’s not a name you can just look up. He’s been erased. On purpose. And trust me, you don’t want to know why."

The air suddenly feels heavy.

"I don’t care," I snap. "I need to know what’s happening to me."

There’s silence on the other end. Then—a sigh.

"You already know the truth," she says softly. "You just need to accept it."

My heart pounds.

"Face what?"

Her voice drops to a whisper.

"You broke the Oath, Nathan. And you knew exactly what it would cost you."

I freeze.

The words hit like a bullet.

The Oath was everything.

I can feel it now—the moment I turned against them.

But I don’t remember why.

"The Oath was never your freedom," Sarah says. "It was your prison."

I hang up before she can say anything else. My hands tremble.

She’s right. I knew what I was doing.

And now, I have to face it.

I look at my phone, the screen cracked.

I need to find Elias Graves.

Because if I don’t, the Oath will find me first