Lena's POV
The air was heavy as I sat across from Asher, my mind moving with different questions I couldn't hold back anymore. I needed answers. After everything that had happened, the attacks, the strange marks on my skin, and the cryptic warnings from Asher, there was only one thing I knew for sure: I couldn't keep going like this, in the dark, not knowing what was happening or why.
"I need to know," I said, my voice almost a whisper, barely louder than the soft rustling of the wind outside. "Who is Nora?"
Asher's gaze shifted toward the window, his back turned to me. I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way he was avoiding my eyes. I needed him to be honest, to stop holding back. His silence stretched on too long, and I pressed again, trying to stay calm even though my insides were twisting with fear.
"She's one of mine," he said at last, his voice low, like he didn't want to say it aloud. But the words only made me more confused.
"One of yours?" I repeated. "What does that mean?"
Asher sighed, turning to face me. His face was hard, his expression blank, but his eyes—his eyes were full of something else, something deeper. "She's part of my pack," he said quietly. "But she's not just that. She's been... assigned to watch you."
"Watch me?" I echoed, my heart skipping a beat. "Why? What do you mean, watch me?"
He ran a hand through his hair, frustration seeping into his voice. "You're involved in something bigger than you think, Lena. Your power—it's tied to me, to my curse."
My stomach dropped, and I felt a cold chill run down my spine. I didn't understand. None of this made sense. "Your curse?"
Asher nodded, his eyes darkening with a pain I couldn't quite read. He took a deep breath and spoke again, quieter this time, like the words were heavy on him.
"My father betrayed me," he said, his voice tight. "He made a deal with a powerful force—something ancient. He traded my life for power. And I've been cursed ever since, bound by that betrayal. My curse is tied to you, Lena. To your bloodline. Your powers."
I couldn't breathe for a moment. My chest felt tight, like the air had been sucked out of the room. "But how? Why me?"
"You're the key," he said, his voice low and serious. "Breaking my curse—unlocking your powers—will release a power that's been locked away. It's tied to your family's bloodline, Lena. But if you unlock it, it will either save us or destroy everything. And it will kill you."
I stared at him, shock freezing me in place. "Kill me?" I whispered. "What do you mean?"
His eyes softened for just a moment, and for the first time, I saw a crack in his cold, hardened exterior. "Unlocking your powers, Lena... it's dangerous. The power inside you is too much for anyone to control. But you have to learn how to protect yourself, how to survive."
I looked at him, my mind racing, trying to make sense of everything. This wasn't just about me anymore. This wasn't just some random curse or strange powers. My life was tied to something bigger, something dangerous, and I didn't know what to do with it.
"Where does Nora fit into all this?" I asked, my voice trembling. "Why is she working with you? What does she want from me?"
Asher's face darkened again, and I saw a flash of anger in his eyes. "Nora is part of this too. But she's not on our side, Lena. She's using you. I don't know what she's planning, but she's not working for our benefit."
My stomach churned. Everything felt like it was spiraling out of control, and I had no idea who to trust anymore. Asher? Nora? Who was I supposed to turn to when everything around me was falling apart?
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. It was quick and sharp, the kind of knock that made my heart race. I looked at Asher, and for a second, I saw the same tension in his posture that I felt.
"Stay here," he said quietly, his voice firm. "I'll handle it."
I nodded, too stunned to say anything. I stayed still, my hands shaking as I watched him move toward the door. He opened it with barely a sound, and standing there was Seraphina Moon—the same witch who had warned me about the curse before. Her eyes were as cold as I remembered, and when she stepped into the room, it felt like the air grew even thicker.
Asher stepped aside, letting her in, but I could feel the unease between them. This wasn't just a friendly visit.
"I told you we'd meet again," Seraphina said, her voice sharp, like a knife cutting through the silence. She looked at me with an intensity that made my heart skip. "But you still don't know the whole truth, do you, Lena?"
I swallowed hard, every part of me tense, waiting for whatever she was going to say next.
"The mark on your wrist?" she continued, her gaze never leaving mine. "It's not just a key. It's a curse, tied to your life force. It's connected to everything."
I felt like the world was spinning, like the ground beneath me was shaking. A curse tied to my life force? What did that even mean? How could a mark on my wrist be a curse? And why hadn't anyone told me this before?
"Everything you thought you knew is wrong," Seraphina said, her voice colder now, like she was savoring the moment. "Unlocking your powers won't just break Asher's curse. It will cost you your life."
The words hit me like a punch to the stomach, and I gasped, my hands trembling as the weight of what she said sank in. How could this be? How could unlocking my powers mean my death?
Asher's voice broke through the shock, and I turned to see him looking at me, his face filled with regret and something darker. "I'm sorry, Lena," he said softly. "I never wanted this for you. But now you know the truth. You can't unlock your powers without facing the consequences."
I felt like everything was collapsing around me. My life, my powers, everything I thought I knew—it was all tangled up in something dangerous, something I didn't understand. And now I had to make a choice: unlock my power and risk everything, or walk away from it all.