Her lips parted, then closed again. When she finally spoke, her voice was barely a whisper. "You don't know what you're asking, boy. Some truths aren't meant to be spoken aloud."
"Yeah, yeah," Julian urged, his voice low but insistent. "Go on. Tell me in detail. I'm sure you know everything."
The elder's lips trembled. She stared at him for a long moment, before finally whispering, "What exactly do you want to know?"
Julian's smile sharpened. "Start simple. What role do you and the village head play in this game of curses—the one binding us to the First Patriarch and the so-called Supreme Being of Creation?"
The elder swallowed hard. She lowered her gaze as if the weight of his question pressed her down. Then, with a long breath, she began.
