Evelyn's POV
For a long while after Hilda's tale, silence filled the room.
Only the crackling fire dared to speak. Its orange light flickered across Hilda's weathered face, dancing on the hollow lines of age and regret. I sat still, unsure if my heart was beating too fast or if it had stopped altogether.
Lucian.… human once. Loved once. And turned into a monster by the very woman now sitting before me.
I swallowed hard, the weight of everything she'd said pressing heavily against my chest. But there was still one question clawing its way through my mind, refusing to be silenced.
"What happened after that?" I asked quietly. "Was Lucian able to save Aurelia? How did he end up becoming cursed?"
Hilda's expression shifted, hardening like stone. For a moment, her lips parted as if she might answer, but then she shook her head.
"Enough of the tales," she said, voice low and tired. "I don't want to keep reliving them. Some stories are best left buried, Evelyn."
