Chapter 18
Elana's hands trembled as she stared at the pale hand reaching from beneath the bed. Every instinct screamed danger, but the voice—the unmistakable cadence of Lucian—kept her rooted to the spot.
"Elana," the voice said again, steady and patient. "I need you to listen carefully."
Her lips parted. "Lucian… what's happening? Why are you under—"
"Not here," he interrupted softly. "You can't trust what you see tonight. It's the Blood Moon. Shadows take shapes. Voices take life. Only I'm real. Only I will touch you."
Elana's stomach knotted. "Then… why…?" She hesitated, her eyes scanning the floor, every corner, every shadow. "Why are you under the bed?"
Lucian's hand moved slightly, urging her to come closer. "Because the hall—the west wing—it's alive. It tests bonds, and it wants to separate us before sundown. I can't risk you wandering into a trap."
Her pulse raced. She forced herself forward, inch by inch, gripping the lamp like a shield. Finally, she knelt beside him, her fingers brushing the pale hand he extended fully.
As soon as they touched, a shiver ran through her—a ripple of heat and cold, like the Blood Moon had reached inside her very bones. The whispers returned, louder this time, hissing from the walls and floor.
"Bound. Connected. Weak. Vulnerable."
"Elana," Lucian whispered, voice tight. "Don't listen. Focus on me. Hear me only."
She forced her eyes onto his, trying to shut out the voices that clawed at her mind.
"You have to trust me," he continued. "Tonight isn't normal. The hall knows everything about us. About me. About you. And Kade… he's stronger than he's ever been."
Elana swallowed. "Stronger? How?" Her voice shook. "What does he want with me?"
Lucian's jaw tightened. "To break me. And to use you as leverage. He wants our bond, and the hall… the hall will help him."
The whispering intensified. The floor beneath them creaked and shifted, as though the building itself were moving. Elana grabbed Lucian's arm, panic threatening to overtake her.
"Stay close," he said firmly, gripping her shoulders. "If you let go—even for a moment—the hall will separate us. It will manipulate everything you see and hear. You cannot falter."
Tears pricked her eyes. "I'm scared."
He cupped her cheek gently. "I know. But fear can't control you. You're stronger than you think. Stronger than he expects."
Another scrape sounded beneath the bed. Elana flinched, and the shadows flickered like living flames.
Lucian's hand tightened around hers. "No matter what happens… you stay with me. Together. Always."
The warmth from his touch seeped into her, anchoring her as the whispers clawed at her mind.
And somewhere beneath the floor, Elana knew the hall was listening. Waiting. Judging. Testing.
Her chest heaved. She nodded slowly. "Together."
Lucian gave a faint, grim smile. "Good. Then let's see what the Blood Moon truly wants."
The shadows shifted, coiling around them like snakes ready to strike. The hall had begun its trial.