Healed by the Cursed

CHAPTER FOUR

The night was strangely silent when Kade and Aria stood alone outside the packhouse, the strain of their recent discovery hanging between them. Still inside, the other pack members spoke, flavoured with dread, apprehension, and the dawning understanding that they were facing something unprepared for. They were losing control faster than they could handle the broken Bloodstone and its disintegrating power.

A small tugging from the trees told Aria of the darkness drawing at her very being. The curse appeared to be calling her, drawing her toward something she could not yet hold. Not knowing if she was strong enough to battle it was the worst part.

Kade stood by her, his presence a comforting anchor amid her doubt. She had to trust him; he had been carrying the weight of this curse for longer than anybody else had known. Now, he looked to her for answers.

What now? Aria asked, breaking the silence. Her voice was more steady than she felt, even if she could still hear the quiver in it. What comes next?

Kade's eyes were distant, and for a little while, she thought he might not answer. Then he spoke, his voice low and sorrowful. I don't know. The hex... Its strength is excessive. I don't even know how to break it.

Aria swallowed. You have tried, right?

Kade's eyes became serious, and his jaw clenched. I have done everything I could. I have found every ancient rite and sought every conceivable cure. Nothing works. My blood and I share a connection with the curse. Should it die, so do I.

Aria was disappointed. Although she had always known Kade carried a dangerous load, seeing him say it out loud made the burden of it much more obvious.

"You don't have to do the work alone," she softly said, hardly whispering. We can solve the problem together.

Kade's eyes flicked to her, and for a fleeting second, she saw something like hope. Aria, I wish you no pain. This hex is dangerous.

She answered, gazing at him, "I'm not afraid of it." It won't diminish your worth.

After a protracted pause, Kade nodded as though he was mentally weighing his options. Alright. Next we have to find Darian. He can reverse this. We must confront him.

The following days were a blur of frantic planning. Aria and Kade had little time to think, much less unwind. Every waking hour was spent searching for Darian—tracking his travels, piecing together knowledge from the pack's past, and trying to figure out just how he had become so strong.

Kade would not let Aria out of his sight even when she pleaded to help with the hunt. He looked protective, but he was also scared of her and what the curse might do if she got too close.

That was unimportant. Aria was determined to prove she could be more than just a helpless pawn in this conflict. Every day she fought to conquer her fears and doubts, to stand tall beside Kade as an equal.

Their hunt took them to a concealed cave deep in the mountains—a location Kade thought Darian could be hiding. Though Kade knew this area well, the entrance was shadowed by the approaching cliffs and covered with vines. It was the site of many ancient battles, and some said it was haunted by the dead.

Every step Aria took, her heart raced as she followed Kade into the cave. The air was heavy with the smell of moist stone and earth, and the deeper they walked, the darker it became. Her senses were overloaded, the pressure of the power in the air bearing down on her chest.

Kade whispered, his voice barely audible, "We're close." Darian is here.

Just as he spoke, they heard it—a low, mocking chuckle reverberating through the cave, followed by the sound of approaching footfalls. Aria felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle.

From the shadows came a towering, menacing, shrouded person. His grin was one of harsh pleasure, and his eyes shone with a strange light. Darian had been waiting for them.

"Well, well," Darian muttered scornfully. Finally, the tiny lamb has arrived to play.

Kade's position changed; his muscles tightened as he moved in front of Aria, prepared to defend her at whatever cost. Darian, you have gone too far. It finishes tonight.

Darian laughed, the noise making Aria shiver. It certainly finishes. However, it doesn't end as you expect.

Darian's look shifted to Aria, causing her heart to race in her chest. His eyes had a frigid, calculating quality that made her skin crawl. He was going to disclose something he knew that she did not.

You feel you could avoid me? Darian's voice was low, quite seductive. Aria, you don't even realise your strength. You believe you are weak. You are not. You hold the key to lift this curse. You have always been.

Kade's eyes grew wide, and he moved forward, his voice getting more furious. What do you mean?

Darian's laugh was full of evil pleasure. "Can't you see?"

The curse had nothing to do with Kade. Aria was always the subject. She will either shatter the pack's ties or kill them for all time.

Aria was struck by the discovery like a freight train. The curse was linked to her, to her whole being; it wasn't only about Kade's bloodline. Unknowingly, she had been picked to either rescue the pack or condemn them all.

"You are lying," she spat, but the uncertainty gnawing in her head caused her to doubt all she believed she knew.

Kade's voice was a little beyond a snarl. Aria, ignore him. He's using you.

Darian's words, however, were like a seed sown deep inside her head, blossoming with every passing second. The truth was pounding on her chest, trying to crush her.

The air was charged with tension, and Aria felt the curse's pull more than ever. Though she didn't know how to battle Darian, she knew she couldn't let him triumph. I am not available at this time. Not when the pack was depending on her.

Aria, her voice shaking but still resolute, continued,

"I will not let you ruin all we have labored for." "I will stop you, though I don't know how yet." Kade's hand brushed over hers, a quiet pledge of support.

Aria made a decision at that instant. She decided to reclaim control of her fate and resist.