Chapter 23 – Under the Silver Curse
The moon had always unnerved Elena, but tonight it seemed almost alive. It hovered above Moonshadow Ridge like an accusing eye, casting silver light across the treetops and spilling shadows across the rocky ground. She stood on the ridge’s ledge with her cloak pulled tight, heart hammering. Everything felt sharper—the air cooler, the trees louder, the night heavier.
And for the first time, she wondered if the stories about this place hadn’t been warnings, but prophecies.
Behind her, footsteps broke the silence. Deliberate. Slow. She didn’t turn; she already knew who it was.
“You shouldn’t be here alone.” Damian’s voice slid through the air, deep and steady, though laced with irritation.
Elena swallowed and faced him. His presence in the moonlight wa
