Dark Enchantment

9

Elara

I stood there, heart racing, my mind a messy whirlwind. But I knew one thing, I refused to make the choice they demanded of me.

Suddenly, I felt a pair of invisible hands gripping my arms, strong and unyielding. Panic surged through me as I was forced to my knees by something I couldn’t see. I struggled against its hold, but it was futile. I was trapped, powerless against whatever it was.

Asher stepped forward, his expression darker, something that twisted my stomach into knots. He stood in front of me, blocking my view of the grave, of Millie, who lay there unconscious and vulnerable. “This doesn’t have to be hard, Elara,” he said, his voice smooth but edged with an urgency that made my skin crawl. “It can all be over quickly. All you have to do is end her life.”

My heart plummeted at his words. The very thought of taking a life—of ending even a bullies existence—felt like a betrayal of everything I believed in. “I won’t do it,” I gasped, my voice trembling as I looked up at him, searching for any hint of the kindness I had once seen. “I can’t.”

Asher’s gaze hardened, and I could see the frustration boiling just beneath the surface. “You’re stronger than this, Elara. You know what you need to do. This is your chance to break free from all of this.” He gestured toward the brothers who stood to the side of me who then lowered their arms. The invisible vice holding me down gone.

“You think this is strength? You think making me kill someone is going to save me?” I spat. “This isn’t freedom! It’s a nightmare!”

The brothers exchanged glances, their smirks revealing their amusement at my words. Asher stepped closer, his voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper, as if trying to draw me into his twisted reasoning. “You’re in a nightmare, yes. But this is your opportunity to wake up. Do you really want to be trapped here forever? Do you want to suffer at our hands for the rest of your f*****g life?”

I felt a flicker of doubt creeping in, a small part of me tempted by the idea of escape. But it was overshadowed by the horror of what he was asking. “I won’t be a monster,” I replied, my voice shaking. “I won’t become like you.”

Asher’s expression shifted, a flash of something—disappointment, perhaps?—crossing his face. “You’re not seeing the bigger picture, Elara. This isn’t about becoming a monster; it’s about survival. You can’t let fear of the supernatural control you.” His eyes bore into mine, as I searched for any sign of the man I once thought I knew, but all I saw was a stranger wrapped in darkness.

Asher knelt down, bringing his face closer to mine, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You have the power to end this, Elara. Just think about it—no more pain, no more running. Just one swift action, and you can be free. Isn’t that what you’ve wanted? To be free?”

My heart raced, torn between the desire to escape this hell and the horror of what that escape would cost me. I could feel the tears prickling at the corners of my eyes, but I fought them back. “I won’t do it,” I said again, my voice stronger this time. “I won’t kill her.”

Asher’s expression darkened, and a flicker of something dangerous crossed his features. “Then you leave me no choice,” he said, standing up and stepping back, his eyes narrowing as he began to shake his head in disappointment. “You’ll face the consequences of your refusal, Elara. Just remember that when the time comes, you were given the f*****g chance to choose your own path.”

I felt a surge of dread wash over me as the brothers behind me exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them. I might have thought I was strong for refusing their demand, but in this moment, it felt like the ultimate act of foolishness.

Asher

I couldn’t believe it. Elara knelt there, defiant as ever, her jaw set like she was some kind of god damn saint. “You have to be f*****g kidding me,” I spat, my voice low and seething. Millie was a bully, a wasted space on this earth, and yet here we were, stuck, because Elara had decided she was too good to make a sacrifice.

We had done everything—everything—to break her. We’d pushed her, taunted her, made her relive her worst memories, I’d even gone as far as f*****g her to rid my rage. And still, she stood there. Anyone else would have been broken beyond repair. But not Elara. No, she stood there, like a damn fortress, refusing to budge an inch and it was driving me insane.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I shouted, my frustration finally bubbling over. “Can you honestly look me dead in the eyes and tell me she’s worth saving? She’s nothing but a piece of s**t who made your life hell!”

Elara’s eyes burned with a fire I didn’t understand. “I won’t do it,” she said, her voice steady despite the chaos around us. “I won’t sacrifice an innocent life.”

Innocent? Millie? The girl who thrived on tormenting others? It made my blood boil.

“I won’t sacrifice anyone, Asher. Not even her.”

I felt my blood boil. “You still don’t f*****g get it! We need this! You need this!” I stepped closer, forcing her to meet my gaze. “This isn’t just about you being some moral f*****g compass. It’s about anchoring you to the darkness. To where you belong. Elara, once you commit to this, once you taste the power that comes with it, you’ll stop playing the f*****g neutral game. You’ll see that witches are real, and you can’t just stand on the sidelines anymore!”

She flinched at my words, but the fire didn’t fade from her eyes. “I won’t become a monster like you,” she repeated, her voice firm but laced with fear.

“You think I give a s**t about being a monster? This world isn’t about good and evil anymore. It’s about power, and we’re standing on the edge of something massive. But you… you’re too afraid to take that leap.”

I stepped back, letting my words hang in the air like a noose. “You’re wasting our time, Elara. You think keeping Millie alive is some noble act? It’s pathetic. You need to embrace the darkness or you will be sacrificed.”

As I turned away, frustration coursed through me. I had to find a way to make her see. I couldn’t let her drag us down because of her stubbornness. If she refused to sacrifice Millie, I’d find another way to break her. Because once she realised the truth—that witches were real and that she was one of us—she wouldn’t be able to deny her destiny. And I’d be damned if I let her stand in the way of our power.