Page 40 of A Touch of Darkness (Chronicles of the Cursed #1)

The landscape before me is bathed in the golden hues of the sunset, casting long, dark shadows across the estate’s sprawling grounds. The Solstice Society’s retreating figures vanish into the distance, their anger simmering behind them like the storm they’ve become, but for now, the worst of it is over. The fragile calm that follows feels almost surreal, a momentary reprieve from the chaos that has gripped us for what feels like lifetimes. The burden has finally lifted, and I feel like I can breathe for the first time in so long.

Lucian’s hand slips into mine, his touch warm, steadying me. His fingers interlace with mine, and I don’t hesitate to squeeze back. This simple act, this shared connection, feels like the last tether I have to any semblance of normality.

We’ve been through hell. But we’ve made it. Or at least, I hope we have.

We begin walking, side by side, the quiet murmurs of our allies trailing behind us as we head back toward the estate. The night air is cool, and the scents of grass and earth fill my senses. I try to breathe it in, to let the mundane rhythm of the world ground me. But all I can think about is Lara—my sister. I can’t wait to see her, to talk to her, to spend every second with her. I’ve missed her so much, and it almost doesn’t feel real that she’s back.

Lucian’s voice breaks through the silence, low and earnest, with a tenderness I didn’t expect. “You were incredible today.”

I glance at him, surprised by the raw admiration in his eyes. There’s no teasing, no shield of detachment he sometimes wears. Just honesty. I don’t know how to respond, unsure if anything will do my feelings justice. Lara, the Solstice Society, my bloodline…

“I’m not brave,” I murmur, unsure how to frame my own actions. “I just… I had no choice.”

Lucian stops walking, pulling me gently to a halt as well. His gaze softens, and he lifts his other hand to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing over my skin in a comforting gesture. The cool evening air stirs the strands of my hair, but his touch is steady as ever.

“No, Sylvie,” he says, his voice a little rough, like the words are trying to escape him. “You are brave. You’ve faced things no one should have to, and you’ve kept fighting. Not just for yourself, but for everyone around you. You’re stronger than I ever gave you credit for.”

I feel a lump form in my throat, emotions that I can’t quite name threatening to spill over. He’s always had a way of seeing things, of seeing me, that no one else has. I know he doesn’t mean just today. He means everything—the struggles, the losses, the choices we’ve both had to make to get here.

“You have no idea what it cost,” I whisper, my voice shaking despite my best efforts to steady it. “The power, the blood, the horrifying reality of it all. I didn’t ask for any of this, and I’m not sure I wouldn’t change it if given the chance.”

Lucian’s eyes darken with an emotion I can’t place. He steps closer, and I feel the heat of his body radiating against mine. His breath is warm on my skin as he leans in, his lips just a breath away from mine.

“But you’ve faced it with more grace and courage than anyone could’ve expected. I’m proud of you,” he says, his eyes full of light.

My heart thuds in my chest, and for a moment, I forget everything—the curse, Lara’s kidnapping, her return, the looming threat of the Solstice Society. There is just this. Just Lucian, standing before me with such raw vulnerability, and for the first time, I realize how much I want to let myself fall into this. Into him.

His hand brushes a strand of hair from my face, his gaze unwavering, and I can feel his heart beating against mine. “I want you to understand something, Sylvie,” he says, his voice barely a whisper. “I don’t just want to protect you. I love you. I’ve loved you for longer than you can imagine. Through lifetimes. Through everything.”

I blink at him, unable to comprehend the full weight of his words. The word ‘love’ has always felt like a concept I could never grasp—too complicated, too fraught with pain. But there it is, simple and clear in his eyes.

“You’re more than I ever thought you could be,” he continues, voice quiet but firm. “You’re not just some weapon to wield. You’re a person, Sylvie. And I need you to know—I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe. I’ll fight anyone who tries to use you. And I will win. As long as I know I’m coming back to you, I will always return.”

I feel tears sting at the corners of my eyes, and I blink them away, suddenly overwhelmed by the magnitude of his words. I want to say something, anything, but I can’t. His confession is too much to process. So instead, I do what feels natural. I reach up, pulling him into a kiss.

It’s slow, tentative at first, as if neither of us can quite believe this is happening. But the more I kiss him, the more I know that I don’t want to pull away. His lips are warm, his taste like fire and promise, and when he deepens the kiss, pulling me even closer, I know I am lost to him completely.

The moment stretches, timeless and fragile.

The sound of hurried footsteps pulls me back to reality, and I pull away, turning to see Nicole and Rebecca rushing toward us, panic etched on their faces. Nicole is crying, her face pale, and Rebecca is frantic, speaking so fast that I can’t understand a word. Their words are a blur of fear and confusion, fragments of sentences caught in the rush of adrenaline.

“Lara’s… she’s… we don’t know what happened?—”

“She’s not herself, Sylvie!” Rebecca’s voice cracks, and I feel a coldness seep into my veins. “Something’s wrong. Something’s terribly wrong…”

My heart races as I take a step forward, ready to demand answers. But then, through the blur of frantic motion, I see her.

Lara.

She stands at the top of the entryway stairs, hair blowing in the wind, her movements slow, deliberate, as if she’s walking through a dream. Her skin is pale, almost translucent, and her hair falls in messy waves around her face. She looks just like my sister. But with just one look at her, I know, deep in my gut, this isn’t her. Not really.

Her eyes— her eyes —are the worst part. Empty. Void of all life. There’s no spark in them. No warmth. No hint of the sister I’ve fought for, bled for. Just an endless, soulless blackness that sends a chill crawling down my spine.

She smiles at me, but it’s wrong. It doesn’t reach her eyes. It’s hollow.

I freeze, unable to move, unable to breathe.

This isn’t my sister. It’s a mockery. A shell. And the worst part is, I can’t even tell what’s real anymore. Is this truly Lara? Or is this just a puppet, a vessel being controlled by something darker?

A cold, icy dread fills the space between us, and I feel the weight of fate pressing down on me, suffocating me. I’ve always known the world is full of shadows and twisted secrets, but this… this is something beyond my understanding.

Lara’s smile never wavers as she continues to stare at me, that chill lingering in the air like a death sentence.

“What’s happening?” I ask Lucian, I turn to ask those he trusts. “Why does she look like that?” I cry out. “Her eyes, there’s nothing there…that isn’t her…” I look from person to person. Dorian, a few men I hadn’t met until today, and three trusted witches Lucian has known for ages.

One of them stares at Lara and then looks back at me.

“It’s her humanity,” the witch says, but it’s only a murmur, as if she’s still trying to process it herself. “They’ve erased it.”

And with that, the world around me splinters.

Lara walks down the remaining few steps, and I can’t help but focus on her eyes, eyes that were once so vibrant, so full of life. Now they’re nothing more than blackholes.

She smiles again, the corners of her mouth lifting as she focuses her attention solely on me. A chill works its way through my body, and I double over.

“Hello, sister,” Lara says. “Miss me?”