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Chapter 4 – Whispers in the Dark
Seraphina didn't sleep that night.
The moon hung heavy in the sky, casting its pale light over the academy grounds. She stood by her window, staring at the silhouette of the west tower, its dark shape looming against the stars. Her thoughts were a tangle of confusion and dread. Lucien's words had dug into her like sharp thorns, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was shifting—something ancient, something she was now a part of.
Her fingers brushed the glass, and the chill seeped through, making her shiver.
The door. The staircase. The pull that felt so much like fate.
She had never believed in destiny. But now, it seemed to be reaching for her.
When the first light of dawn painted the sky with streaks of gold, she dragged herself away from the window and turned to face the room, the silence pressing in around her. Her heart still beat too fast, but the urge to understand—to know—was stronger than her fear. The tower had been sealed for so long, yet here she was, inexplicably drawn to it.
She hadn't expected to hear from Lucien again, but fate had its own plans.
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By midmorning, Seraphina found herself walking toward the library, each step a battle against the weight pressing down on her. She couldn't stop thinking about what Kiera had said earlier, about bloodlines and secrets that had been buried for centuries. Every word gnawed at her, pulling her deeper into a mystery she wasn't sure she was ready for.
The library was a refuge of silence, its towering shelves filled with forgotten histories and half-whispered secrets. It smelled of old parchment and dust, the scent of ages past. She let her fingers glide over the books, searching for something—anything—that might offer an explanation.
"Looking for something?"
Seraphina froze. Lucien's voice broke through her thoughts, smooth and unexpected. He stood in the shadows between two tall shelves, his eyes gleaming with that same unreadable expression.
She swallowed hard. "I didn't expect to see you here."
"Nor did I," he said, stepping closer. "But here we are."
She couldn't ignore the strange pull she felt whenever he was near—like the air around them shifted. It wasn't just his presence; it was something deeper, something ancient.
"What do you want, Lucien?"
He watched her for a moment, his eyes narrowed in thought. "To stop you from making a mistake."
Seraphina frowned. "What are you talking about? What mistake?"
He hesitated, then sighed. "You're thinking of going back to the tower, aren't you?"
She stiffened. He had seen through her so easily.
"Why do you care?"
Lucien stepped closer, his voice lowering to a whisper. "Because there are things in that tower... things no one should ever uncover. If you open that door, everything changes."
"Everything?" Seraphina repeated, her voice sharp. "And you think I should just walk away?"
"I'm not asking you to. I'm asking you to think carefully." His eyes locked onto hers. "This isn't about curiosity. It's about power—power that can destroy everything."
Seraphina's pulse quickened. "So, you know what's in there."
He said nothing, but the silence between them spoke volumes. She could feel the weight of it pressing in, the weight of centuries, of secrets, of something dark. Her hands clenched at her sides.
"Why won't you tell me what's going on?" she demanded.
Lucien's gaze softened slightly, but his resolve remained. "Some things you aren't meant to know. Not yet."
Seraphina narrowed her eyes, her frustration boiling over. "And you're the one to decide when I'm ready?"
"No." His voice was steady. "But there are forces at play here that go beyond your understanding. You have no idea what you're dealing with."
Something inside Seraphina snapped. She wasn't some helpless girl who could be talked down to. "Then stop talking in riddles and tell me what's happening."
Lucien looked at her, his eyes filled with something akin to regret. "I'm trying to protect you."
She scoffed, turning away. "Protect me? From what? The truth? From what I deserve to know?"
Before he could answer, she turned and left the library, the sound of her footsteps echoing in the vast, empty halls.
But no matter how fast she walked, it felt like she was being dragged back toward that tower, like the very ground beneath her feet was calling her to it.
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That afternoon, the air grew thick and heavy, and Seraphina found herself standing at the foot of the west tower once again. The tower loomed above her, dark and silent, like a beast waiting to awaken. Her mind was a whirlwind of doubt and desire, torn between Lucien's warnings and the undeniable pull she felt toward the mystery that lay beyond those ancient walls.
She reached for the door.
Don't do it, the voice in her head whispered, but it was too late. The door creaked open with a slow groan, revealing the spiral staircase that led upward into the dark.
Her heart raced, every instinct screaming at her to turn back, but her feet refused to obey. She had come this far. She had to know.
The stairs wound higher and higher, the cold air wrapping around her like a shroud. The darkness above seemed to swallow the light, leaving her with only the sound of her breathing, quick and shallow.
At the top, the door stood in front of her, waiting.
Just like in her dreams.
She hesitated for a moment before her hand reached for the handle.
A whisper echoed through the air.
Seraphina.
Her name, soft and cold, like the wind that swept through the tower. She froze.
It was Lucien.
And it was too late.
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