The night had fallen by the time Elara and Kaelen made their way down from the attic. The house was eerily quiet, save for the occasional creak of the old floorboards beneath their feet. Elara felt the weight of the locket in her pocket, its cool presence a constant reminder of everything that had changed in the last few hours.
She couldn't stop thinking about the words Kaelen had said: We are bound together now. The curse that had trapped him for centuries was now a part of her, whether she liked it or not. The thought should have terrified her, but there was something else—a strange, uneasy curiosity that gnawed at her.
She wasn't alone in this. Kaelen's presence lingered, not in the way a ghost might hover, but as if he was there, a part of her reality. She could feel his gaze, though his form was nowhere to be seen. There was no denying it: they were connected now, tied together by a power neither fully understood.
As they entered the living room, Elara paused, looking at the grand fireplace that her grandmother used to sit by during the long, quiet evenings. It felt like such a different time—before this curse, before Kaelen.
"What now?" Elara asked, her voice uncertain.
Kaelen's voice answered from the corner of the room, though she didn't see him. "Now, we begin the search for answers. The grimoire holds the key, but it's only the beginning."
"What do you mean? The book has all the spells, right?" Elara frowned, feeling frustrated. They had so little information. She wanted to know everything, right now. She couldn't afford to wait.
"It has the spells, yes," Kaelen replied. "But they are incomplete. The true nature of the curse isn't written in plain language. We need more—a source, a guide, someone who can help us understand the magic behind it all."
Elara crossed her arms, leaning against the mantel. "A guide? Like a witch or a…a sorcerer?"
Kaelen hesitated before responding, his tone darker. "Something like that. But more dangerous. There are others who know of the curse, who've used the same magic to trap souls like mine."
"Great," Elara muttered. "Because this couldn't get any worse."
Kaelen's presence flickered, and for the briefest moment, she thought she saw his figure materialize in the corner of her vision. His silver eyes glinted with a mixture of sorrow and resolve.
"I'm not asking for your sympathy, Elara," he said softly. "I've been bound to this curse for centuries, and now you're bound to it, too. You can't escape it. But together, we can break it."
Elara looked at him, her frustration giving way to a strange feeling—something like empathy, but not quite. She still didn't know who he truly was, not yet. But she couldn't deny that his words held truth. The curse was real, and it wasn't just his problem anymore. It was hers.
"Okay," she said, exhaling slowly. "So who do we go to for help?"
Kaelen seemed to consider her question before speaking again. "There's one person who might know more. A scholar of ancient magic, someone who's studied the very kind of spell that ensnared me. Her name is Seraphine."
"Seraphine?" Elara echoed, eyebrow raised. "Sounds like someone out of a fairytale."
"She is far from a fairytale character," Kaelen replied grimly. "She lives on the edge of the Darkwood, a forest known for its connection to ancient powers. There are rumors she practices forbidden magic—dangerous magic. She might be our only chance."
Elara felt a knot form in her stomach. Darkwood was a place whispered about in old legends, a vast and twisted forest where strange creatures roamed and few dared venture. To hear that Seraphine lived there only deepened her unease.
"Why would she help us? If she's so dangerous, why would she care about some curse?" Elara asked, still uncertain.
"Because she knows the price of meddling with dark forces," Kaelen answered. "Seraphine is no stranger to curses. She's lived long enough to know that when one is unleashed, it affects everything."
Elara swallowed hard, the weight of his words sinking in. She didn't want to face this unknown, but there seemed to be no other choice. She had to do this, for herself, for her grandmother's legacy, and for the shadow that was now bound to her.
"Fine," Elara said, straightening her shoulders. "Let's go find her."
Kaelen's voice softened, as if impressed by her resolve. "We leave at dawn."
---
The night passed in a restless blur. Elara barely slept, her mind racing with thoughts of the curse, Kaelen, and the mysterious Seraphine. Each time she closed her eyes, she saw the dark figure of Kaelen, looming in the shadows, his silver eyes watching her. It was as if she couldn't escape him, even in her dreams.
By morning, the sun had barely risen, but Elara was already packed and ready to leave. She had no idea what awaited her in the Darkwood, but she knew it was the only path forward.
Kaelen was silent as they left the house, his presence like a quiet hum in the back of her mind. The air outside was crisp, and the trees around her grandmother's estate stood tall and watchful, their limbs swaying gently in the breeze. The woods beyond seemed to stretch on endlessly, the road leading into them dark and foreboding.
"Are you sure about this?" Elara asked, casting one last look at the house.
"I'm sure," Kaelen replied. "This is the only way. We need to find Seraphine before the curse grows stronger."
With that, Elara took a deep breath and stepped onto the path leading into the woods. Her heart pounded in her chest, and for the first time since the curse had begun, she felt the full weight of the journey ahead of her. There was no turning back now.
As they walked into the forest, the shadows seemed to grow thicker, as though they were watching her every step. The air grew colder, and the trees around them seemed to close in, their twisted branches reaching out like fingers.
Elara couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't alone.
"Kaelen," she whispered, her voice barely audible in the quiet, "I feel like something's watching us."
"It's not your imagination," he replied. "The Darkwood is filled with creatures, some of them far older and more dangerous than anything you've encountered."
Elara's breath caught in her throat. The forest was already proving to be more than she had bargained for.
As they pressed deeper into the heart of the Darkwood, one thing became clear: the curse wasn't the only danger they would face.