Echoes of Betrayal

Chapter Nineteen Karyna

Another few days passed, and I couldn't help but notice how often Lady Violet Stormwood and Ethan were together. It seemed as though every time I saw one of them, the other wasn't far behind. Their constant interactions were puzzling, especially since Ethan had missed several classes he was supposed to be in.

The whispers in my mind had grown stronger again, becoming an almost constant background noise that I struggled to ignore. One evening, as I was leaving the library, the whispers reached a crescendo, urging me to follow them. Desperate for answers, I decided to listen.

I traced the whispers down the winding corridors, their intensity growing with each step. As I turned a corner where the whispers seemed the loudest, I suddenly collided with Lady Violet Stormwood. The whispers vanished instantly, leaving an eerie silence in their wake.

"Ah, Karyna," Lady Stormwood said, a cold smile playing on her lips. "It's perfect that we see each other right now. I've found a way to unleash your full potential. Meet me at the old stone bridge in the village of Thornwood tomorrow evening."

Her words sent a chill down my spine, but I managed to nod, my curiosity piqued despite my apprehension. "Alright," I said quietly.

Lady Stormwood's smile widened. "Good. Don't be late." With that, she turned and walked away, leaving me standing in the dimly lit corridor, a sense of foreboding settling over me.

I stood there for a moment, processing her words, before deciding to head back to my dorm. As I rounded another corner, I nearly collided with Alexander.

"Hey, lovely," he said, his usual smirk in place. "Fancy running into you."

"Hey, Alex," I replied, feeling a bit more at ease in his presence. "What brings you here?"

"Actually, I was looking for you," he admitted. "It's Saturday, and I was wondering if you'd like to go for a walk in the Enchanted Forest. There are some things about the relic I want to tell you. You know, since we were interrupted last time."

I couldn't suppress a smile. "I'd love to. Let's go."

As we made our way to the Enchanted Forest, our conversation flowed easily, filled with our usual sarcastic and flirty banter.

"So," Alexander began with a mischievous glint in his eye, "have you been practicing your spells, or are you still setting things on fire by accident?"

I rolled my eyes playfully. "Very funny. I've actually gotten quite good at controlling my fire spells, thank you very much."

"Oh, is that so?" he teased. "Maybe you'll finally stop burning dinner."

"Only if you stop being so full of yourself," I shot back, unable to keep the grin off my face.

"Deal," he said with a chuckle. "But I make no promises."

We continued walking, the sounds of the forest enveloping us in a peaceful ambiance. The air was crisp, and the light filtering through the trees cast dappled shadows on the ground. It was the perfect setting for our conversation, and I felt a sense of anticipation building within me.

"So," I said, breaking the comfortable silence, "what did you want to tell me about the relic?"

Alexander's expression grew more serious, and he took a deep breath. "The relic you have, it's connected to a prophecy. It's said to belong to someone destined to wield unimaginable power—power that can shape the very fabric of reality itself."

I felt a shiver run down my spine. "That sounds... intense."

"It is," he agreed. "But there's more. The prophecy also says that the person wielding this power is destined to die."