Eternal desire

Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: A Curse in the Shadows**

The walk back to the house was slow, with Lucien leaning heavily on Amara. Though the sorcerer's magic had dissolved, something still weighed on him, an invisible force that sapped his strength. Amara could feel it too—the lingering energy from the encounter with the sorcerer, like a shadow that wouldn’t lift.

Once inside, Lucien slumped into a chair by the fireplace. His pale skin was even more drained of color, and his eyes, usually so full of life, seemed distant. Amara knelt beside him, her hand gripping his. His pulse was faint, weak.

"Lucien," she whispered, panic creeping into her voice. "Talk to me."

Lucien tried to smile but failed. "I’m all right, Amara. It’s... just a little aftershock from the magic."

Amara shook her head, unconvinced. The sorcerer’s words echoed in her mind. *"You think you’re strong enough to fight me now? You can’t even control your own powers. And soon, they will consume you."* It hadn’t just been a threat aimed at her; there was something more, something connected to Lucien.

"Lucien, what aren’t you telling me?" she asked, her voice firm but soft.

He met her gaze, his expression conflicted. "There’s something you need to know. I didn’t want to burden you with it before—especially not while you were still adjusting to your new powers."

Amara’s stomach twisted. "Tell me."

Lucien sighed, struggling to find the words. "The sorcerer... She cursed me a long time ago, before you and I met. It’s why I’ve always kept a certain distance, why I don’t have a mate anymore. His magic has always been linked to me—like a thread connecting us. As long as he lived, I was tied to him. Bound to his darkness."

Amara’s heart sank. "You never told me."

"I couldn’t. If you had known, you might have tried to take him on too soon. You weren’t ready. And even now..." His voice trailed off, but his eyes held a sadness that made Amara’s chest tighten.

"And even now... what?" she pressed.

Lucien closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the chair. "The curse—it’s still there. We weakened his hold, but I can still feel it, deep inside. If I don’t break it completely, She can come back. She can use me to get to you."

Amara’s blood ran cold. Everything they had fought for, everything they had survived, and still, the sorceress' presence loomed over them like a dark cloud.

"There must be a way to break it," Amara said, her voice rising with desperation. "We can’t let her win."

Lucien opened his eyes, meeting her gaze with a weariness she had never seen before. "There is one way."

She held her breath, waiting for him to continue.

"We have to destroy the source of his power. His heartstone."

Amara frowned. "His heartstone?"

Lucien nodded slowly. "It’s a relic—an ancient one. The sorceress' life force is bound to it. If we destroy the heartstone, we destroy her for good. The curse on me would be lifted, and she’d have no way of returning."

Amara felt a flicker of hope, but it was quickly overshadowed by uncertainty. "Where is it? How do we find it?"

Lucien looked away, pain flashing in his eyes. "That’s the problem. The heartstone is hidden deep within the old crypt, buried beneath Crimson Hollow. And it's protected by dark magic—magic even more dangerous than what we’ve faced so far."

A heavy silence fell between them. The crypt beneath Crimson Hollow was a place of legend, a burial ground for ancient sorcerers and dark beings. It was said to be cursed, a place no one returned from.

"But if we don’t destroy it..." Amara whispered, "She’ll keep coming after us. After you."

Lucien nodded. "Yes. And she’ll grow stronger with each passing day."

Amara’s hands clenched into fists, her mind racing. She had faced impossible odds before, but this was different. This wasn’t just about survival—it was about breaking the sorcerer’s hold on Lucien once and for all.

"We have to do it," Amara said firmly, standing to her feet. "We’ll go to the crypt, and we’ll destroy the heartstone. Together."

Lucien tried to protest, but Amara shook her head. "You’re not doing this alone, Lucien. I don’t care how dangerous it is. I won’t lose you."

A soft smile tugged at Lucien’s lips. "You’ve always been so stubborn."

Amara knelt beside him again, her hand resting on his cheek. "And I’m not going to change. We’re in this together."

Lucien took her hand, his grip weak but steady. "You’re right. Together."

As Amara helped Lucien to his feet, the weight of what they had to do pressed down on them both. The crypt beneath Crimson Hollow was their only hope, but it was also a place of unimaginable danger. Still, there was no turning back. If they wanted to break the curse—and end the sorcerer’s reign of terror—they would have to face the darkness head-on.

And this time, there would be no retreat.

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