The forest was quiet, too quiet for my liking. My footsteps crunched on the dry leaves, echoing around me as I walked in circles, trying to clear my mind. The weight of everything that had happened—the resurrection, the prophecy, Elias—it all felt heavier than I could carry. I needed answers, but no matter how much I thought about it, nothing made sense.
The cold air nipped at my skin as I walked deeper into the trees, lost in my thoughts. That's when I heard it. Footsteps. Slow, deliberate, like they were waiting for me to notice. I didn't have to turn around to know who it was. Alaric.
"You've been avoiding me," he said, his voice steady but filled with something I couldn't read.
I sighed and turned to face him. "I've been thinking."
Alaric looked at me, his eyes dark with something unreadable. "About what?"
I shook my head, frustrated. "About everything. Elias, the prophecy… I don't know what to do anymore."
He gave a small nod, like he understood the weight of it all. "I don't either," he said quietly. "But it's not as simple as just fixing it, Ronan. This… it's bigger than us."
I didn't know how to respond to that. Alaric, Elias's estranged brother, was the last person I thought would get it. But in that moment, it seemed like he understood better than anyone else.
We stood there for a few minutes in silence, neither of us speaking. I could feel the tension between us, the kind of tension that only comes when you're both caught in a storm that no one can control. Finally, Alaric broke the silence.
"I've learned something," he said, his voice low. "Something I should've known a long time ago."
I raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
Alaric looked at me, his expression serious. "I'm tied to this, Ronan. To the prophecy. To Magnus."
The words hung in the air, and for a moment, I couldn't understand what he meant. Magnus? What did Alaric have to do with him?
"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, even though my heart was pounding.
Alaric looked away, his jaw tight. "There's a connection I didn't know about. A bond between me and Magnus. Something ancient. Something that's been passed down through our bloodline. It's not just about Elias. It's about me, too."
I took a step back, trying to process what he was saying. Alaric, tied to Magnus? A bloodline that had been hidden for generations? It didn't make sense. I had no idea what this meant or why Alaric hadn't told me before, but one thing was clear—he was caught up in this as much as I was.
Before I could say anything else, the sound of footsteps interrupted us. A figure stepped out from behind a tree, a cold smirk on her lips. Selene.
I didn't need to ask why she was here. Selene had always been good at showing up when things were about to get complicated. She had a way of making everything feel like a game, and right now, I was losing.
"You're both making a mistake," Selene said, her voice smooth, like she was speaking to children. She stepped closer, her eyes flicking between Alaric and me. "You're wasting time, Ronan. You could be using this to your advantage."
Alaric tensed beside me, and I could tell that he wasn't happy to see her. He stepped forward slightly, blocking her path. "What do you want, Selene?"
Selene didn't even blink, her smile not faltering. "I want to help you," she said simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
I couldn't keep the disbelief from my voice. "Help? You? Why would I trust you?"
She tilted her head, her eyes glinting with something I couldn't quite place. "Because you don't have a choice. I know what you're facing, Ronan. I know what's coming. You need allies. And I can be the ally you need."
I crossed my arms, taking a step back. I didn't trust her. Not for a second. Selene always had her own agenda, and whatever she was offering, it wasn't for free.
"I don't need your help," I said firmly. "You've never done anything without expecting something in return."
Her smile didn't waver. "Of course, there's always a price," she said. "But it's a price you'll be willing to pay once you see what I'm offering. Power, control. A chance to finally get everything you want."
I glanced at Alaric. His face was hard, but his eyes told a different story. He wasn't convinced either, but there was a flicker of something—something like doubt—in his expression.
"Don't listen to her," Alaric said, his voice low but full of warning. "She's been playing both sides for a long time. She's not offering help, Ronan. She's offering betrayal."
Selene's expression hardened. "You really think I'm trying to betray you, Alaric? You don't know what you're up against."
I didn't know who to trust anymore. The more Selene spoke, the more it felt like I was being drawn into something much darker than I could understand. But at the same time, the thought of facing everything alone terrified me. The prophecy. Elias's resurrection. The choice I had to make.
"I don't need you," I said, my voice firm, though my insides were a mess. "I can handle this on my own."
Selene's smile faltered for the briefest moment, but she quickly masked it with a cold stare. "We'll see, won't we?" she said, her voice a dangerous whisper. "You'll be back. You always come back when you're desperate."
Without another word, she turned and disappeared into the night, her footsteps fading into the darkness.
I stood there for a long time, my mind racing. Alaric's words echoed in my ears. He was right. Selene was playing a dangerous game, and I didn't know if I could afford to be a part of it. But the thought of facing the prophecy alone, of making a decision that would affect the fate of everything I cared about—it was more than I could bear.
"We need to move carefully," Alaric said after a long silence. "This isn't over. Not by a long shot."
I nodded, though I wasn't sure if I was ready for whatever was coming next. But one thing was certain: I was no longer alone in this fight. And that, in itself, was both a comfort and a curse.