Shadows of the Manor
The manor gates groan as they swing shut behind us. Cold air bites my skin. The obsidian walls stretch high, spires clawing toward the sky. Kaelen keeps his grip on my wrist, guiding me through the stone courtyard. Every step echoes like a warning.
Inside, the warmth from the hearth does little to ease the chill. Shadows cling to corners and archways, moving almost of their own accord. I swallow hard, trying to steady my racing heartbeat. The pulse of the seal still hums faintly through my hand, a reminder that the bond between us is alive—and dangerous.
"Stay close," Kaelen says. His voice cuts through the silence, low and sharp. "The manor doesn't welcome strangers. Especially not anchors."
I nod, glancing around. Paintings line the hall—faces pale, silver eyes glinting in the dim light. Their gazes feel alive, following me. Whispers stir around us, almost too soft to catch. I strain my ears.
"Do you hear that?" I whisper.
Kaelen doesn't answer immediately. His eyes scan the shadows, blade sheathed but ready. "They speak of betrayal and blood," he says finally. "Of curses that linger. You're hearing fragments… echoes of the past. Not everything has passed. Some things never leave this house."
I shiver, pulling my cloak tighter around me. "Curses?"
"Yes," Kaelen replies, his voice a quiet warning. "Blood curses that were never lifted. House Veylor carries them. And now… you are part of that legacy."
I stumble slightly, the weight of his words pressing down. My chest burns faintly from the seal, pulsing in rhythm with my heartbeat. Every throb feels like the manor itself is aware of me. Watching me. Judging me.
Kaelen guides me into a long hallway, stone floors cold beneath my feet. Shadows stretch and twist, whispers brushing the edges of hearing, impossible to ignore. A faint metallic scent lingers in the air—iron, sharp and familiar.
"Can… can the manor hurt me?" I ask, voice trembling.
Kaelen glances at me, expression hard. "It can try. The shadows here are alive with memories, anger, and old magic. You must ignore them, or they will draw you in."
I glance at my glowing hand, instinctively raising it. The pulse of the seal resonates with the whispers, flaring in a warning that makes my chest tighten. Danger is everywhere, yet I cannot see it. I feel it instead.
We reach a grand staircase, winding up into darkness. Kaelen pauses at the base, his silver eyes scanning the upper halls. "Your room is at the top. Rest. But be aware—the manor does not like intruders, anchors, or those bound to life it cannot control."
I swallow hard, my stomach twisting. The hallway seems to stretch endlessly, shadows moving faster than my eyes can follow. Paintings of pale men and women stare down at me, whispers flaring around me like echoes of betrayal.
"Why… why is it like this?" I ask softly.
Kaelen's gaze meets mine, unreadable. "House Veylor was built on power, on blood. The walls remember every act of treachery, every curse whispered, every life lost to ambition. You've touched it now. The manor knows your presence, and it tests you."
I feel the pulse of the seal flare again, sharp and alive. My chest aches. The bond thrums through me, reminding me that Kaelen and I are tied together, that the danger outside and the shadows inside are part of the same thread.
Kaelen leads me up the staircase. Shadows shift along the walls, whispering. Names. Events. Threats. I catch fragments—betrayal, death, sacrifice. My heart races.
At the top, a door waits. Kaelen opens it to reveal a modest chamber, stone walls lined with dark wood. A fire burns low in a small hearth. The whispers fade slightly, though a sense of watchfulness remains.
"Rest here tonight," Kaelen says. "But know this—the manor's eyes never close. You are watched, even when you think you are alone."
I sink onto the bed, the warmth from the fire doing little to soothe the chill crawling over my skin. My hand pulses faintly, the seal whispering through me. I realize with a sinking weight that I will never truly be safe—not while the manor, the pact, and the hunters exist.
Kaelen's shadow moves toward the door, pausing. "Sleep carefully," he says. "The bond protects you… but it cannot stop everything."
I nod, chest still burning from the seal. Shadows curl around the corners of the room, whispering of betrayal and blood. Outside, the wind howls, rattling the spires of the manor.
And somewhere deep in the stone, the manor waits. Watching.