The flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows along the stone walls, distorting the reflection of my face in the antique mirror. My hands trembled as I gripped the edge of the worn oak table, my heart thudding in my chest like a battle drum. The air in the dimly lit chamber felt thick, laced with an unspoken presence. Then, the voice—low, smooth, and dripping with something ancient—slithered through the silence.
"You hesitate."
I swallowed hard, my breath hitching. I didn’t dare turn around, but I could feel him behind me. The presence had been following me for days, whispering to me when I was alone, teasing me with the impossible. The power to break the curse. The power to save Killian.
I closed my eyes, willing the voice away, but its presence grew stronger. The shadows in the room s
