The world felt different when Rose stepped away from the pedestal.
The air was no longer just heavy—it felt saturated. Like it had been holding its breath for centuries and now exhaled only for her. Every breath she took came slower, heavier, threaded with something ancient. The cavern’s walls groaned faintly, a sound like distant thunder beneath the stone, as if the place itself mourned the memory she'd just disturbed.
The shadows seemed to draw closer, curling along the floor like spilled ink. Not threatening—curious. Watching.
Her fingers remained tight around the locket. She hadn’t meant to grip it so hard, but letting go didn’t feel like an option. The heat of it pulsed against her palm, rhythmic and undeniable, like a second heartbeat—one that didn’t belong to her alone.
She had
