Darkness in the Shadows

CHAPTER 11

She watched for a moment as the flames died down, revealing the name etched into the wood: Layka Quela.

"No," Alana whispered, disbelief colouring her voice. "That can't be right. How could you give her magic?" She spoke to the table, her voice a mix of frustration and confusion. The surface was still hot, but Alana ignored the discomfort.

The revelation that Layka had been granted the family's magic shook her to the core. The portrait hinted at another descendant, but not her. Layka was in a different world; how could they even know of her existence? Alana ran her hands through her hair, trying to make sense of the situation.

Somehow, she had added Layka to the family crest, linking her to the ancestral line. How was that even possible? Alana banged her hands on the table in frustration. "Why her?" she yelled, her voice echoing in the room. A tear slid down her cheek. She had only met Layka briefly, but she knew enough to understand that the power would not be used for good.

She slammed her hands down again and turned away from the table, her frustration palpable. She wandered around the room, taking in the rooms decor. The room was adorned with beautiful items; she ran her fingers over the books and crystals, each one more captivating than the last. The crystals came in different shapes, colours, and sizes, each one sparkling in the light.

As she passed by the window, something caught her eye. A necklace hung on the side of the window frame, its green crystal carved into a teardrop shape. Alana leaned in, inspecting the crystal closely. Inside, there seemed to be a shadow moving within it. Intrigued, she reached out and took the necklace. It felt warm in her hand as if it belonged there.

She raised her arm to put it back but hesitated. Instead, she lowered it and draped the necklace over her head. The gem settled perfectly against her chest, and she felt a strange sense of belonging. She smiled, feeling a connection to this mysterious object.

A cold sensation washed over Alana, bringing with it a strange sense of comfort and confidence. She found herself drawn back to the table, where the lines formed by the black orb still glowed faintly. She shook her head, trying to resist the pull, but it was too strong. "You want more darkness, do you?" she muttered to herself, half annoyed, half intrigued.

Raising her hands, she willed the darkness to form once more. To her surprise, it flowed effortlessly, without the resistance she had experienced before. Her eyes widened in astonishment. She dropped the ball onto the table, and it immediately lit up, tracing the lines of her family's history.

As the light reached Layka's name, Alana frowned, knowing that this new revelation would only lead to trouble in her world. She turned to leave, walking back to the door.

With a hopeful thought, she summoned a tendril of darkness and directed it toward the door lock.

Resting her head against the door, she focused on the lock, feeling a sense of satisfaction when she heard a click. "Thank you," she whispered, opening the door. As she stepped out, the pull from the table lingered but diminished as she walked further away, leaving her to ponder the implications of what she had discovered.

As Alana walked back to the table where Aramin had been seated, she glanced at the papers left there. At first, they seemed like nothing more than dates and gibberish, writing she couldn't comprehend. However, a slight crackle sounded behind her, drawing her attention back to the door she had just exited.

A blue light flashed through the room, causing Alana to step back in surprise, bumping into the chair behind her. Blinking to clear the shock of the brightness, she turned to look at the papers again. This time, they were no longer indecipherable; they were filled with writings of spells and theories.