Chapter 4: Darkness Revealed

Kael’s words hung in the air like a curse, heavy and cold.

“Our family, the Shadowleys, made a pact with Erebus — a dark entity that trades magic for innocent souls. Every generation, a Shadowley must surrender to the darkness. It’s the price of our power.”

Opheliana felt the blood drain from her face. The firelight dancing against the crumbling stone walls of the windmill did nothing to warm her. “And you… you were surrendered?”

Kael nodded, the flicker of the fire casting haunted shadows beneath his eyes. “Yes. Erebus marked me early. At first, it was just whispers, dreams I thought were nightmares. But as I got older, the influence became stronger — voices, compulsions, violent urges. I almost lost myself more than once. But then…”

He paused, his gaze softening as it met hers.

“…Then I sensed you. Even from across the veil of time and distance. Our twin bond — it was like a thread of light in the void. You gave me something Erebus couldn’t corrupt. Hope.”

Opheliana reached out, her fingers trembling as they closed around his. “I’m glad you held on,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “You’re not alone anymore.”

He squeezed her hand gently, a ghost of a smile touching his lips. “Our mother, Lyra… she believed our bond could break the curse. That’s why she sent you away, separated us. She thought keeping you hidden might protect you — and maybe give me a chance.”

Opheliana’s breath caught. “Lyra... she’s alive?”

Kael’s expression turned somber. “I don’t know. The last I saw of her, she was trying to distract Erebus’s followers so I could escape. I haven’t heard from her since.”

A shiver crept up Opheliana’s spine, but her mind sharpened with suspicion. “What about Mrs. Black — my guardian? Is she involved in this?”

Kael’s eyes narrowed, thoughtful and wary. “Mrs. Black knows more than she ever let on. She served our family for years before the fall. She was loyal to Lyra once… but now, I’m not sure. She walks a fine line between ally and opportunist. Her true allegiance may lie only with herself.”

The windmill creaked in the stillness, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, faint and deliberate, came the sound — the crunch of footsteps on gravel outside.

Kael’s head snapped toward the door. “Intruders,” he hissed.

Opheliana shot to her feet, heart pounding. “How did they find us?”

“There are eyes everywhere — ravens, wind, even shadows,” he said grimly, already gathering the few supplies scattered across the floor. “We have to move. Now.”

He doused the fire with a sweep of his cloak, plunging the room into near darkness. Opheliana pulled her hood over her head, her heart thudding in her chest like a drumbeat of warning.

Outside, the wind howled louder, carrying with it more than just the chill of night. She could feel it now — that same whispering presence Kael had described. Erebus was watching.

As they slipped through a hidden trapdoor beneath the rotting floorboards, Kael turned to her one last time.

“No matter what happens, remember this: you are not cursed. You are the key.”

The door closed above them, swallowing the light, and together, they vanished into the underground tunnels — two shadows bound by blood, hunted by darkness, and clinging to the flickering flame of hope.

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