Bound by Shadows

Chapter Six

ᴇʟᴀ'ꜱ ᴘᴏᴠ

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The moon had begun its slow climb into the evening sky, casting a silver glow over the clearing behind Cora's house. The air felt heavy, thick with something I couldn't quite name—anticipation, dread, maybe both. We'd gathered in the shadow of the tall trees, their branches swaying gently in the night breeze, but the mood was anything but peaceful.

Liam paced in front of me, his movements restless, while Leo sat on the ground, his elbows resting on his knees. Oscar leaned against one of the trees, as calm and collected as ever, though his eyes never quite left me.

"You're not really going to do it, are you?" Cora asked, her voice tight, almost pleading.

I looked at her, and for the first time tonight, I didn't know how to answer. The invitation had been tucked away in my jacket pocket for days, a constant weight against my chest, a reminder of what was coming. And now, the deadline loomed just two days away. September 16.

"I don't know yet," I finally admitted, glancing at the others. "But the fact that the butterfly keeps appearing... I don't think I can ignore it."

Liam stopped pacing, running a hand through his hair. "Ela, you're not seriously considering following it, are you?"

"Why not?" Oscar said, breaking the silence. His tone was calm, but there was an edge to his words. "If the Games are real, don't you want to know what's going to happen?"

"I thought it was just a prank at first," I admitted. "But now I'm not so sure."

"You're playing right into it," Cora snapped, her dark eyes narrowing as she shot Oscar a glare. "You and the boys. You don't care about what could happen to her—you just want to see if the rumors are true."

Liam's gaze dropped to the ground, and Leo shifted uncomfortably. Neither of them spoke up to deny it.

My stomach churned as the realization sank in. I'd known them long enough to sense their curiosity, their need to see if the legend of the Ghost Games was real. But now, with the danger so close, the thrill of the unknown felt like a sharp edge, cutting through the thin layer of trust between us.

"You really think that's what this is?" I asked quietly, looking between them. "You want me to go because you're curious?"

Liam opened his mouth to say something, but Cora cut in, her voice louder this time. "Yes, that's exactly what they want. They're too chicken to say it out loud, but I will. They want you to be the one to figure out if this whole thing is real because none of them have the guts to do it themselves."

Oscar's face hardened, but he didn't deny it. "It's not about that, Cora."

"Then what is it about?" she demanded. "If the Games are real, and she follows that butterfly, who's to say she'll come back? Who's to say any of us will ever see her again?"

The silence that followed was deafening, the weight of her words settling over us like a heavy fog. I hadn't considered that. Not really. I'd been so caught up in the mystery of the invitation, the uncertainty of what might happen, that I hadn't let myself think about the worst-case scenario.

"What if she does nothing?" Leo finally asked, his voice quiet but firm. "What if we ignore it, and this thing passes us by?"

Oscar shot him a look, shaking his head. "If the Games are real, they won't just let her ignore it."

A cold chill ran down my spine at his words, the weight of the invitation pressing heavier in my pocket. I could feel the edges of the card digging into my skin, a constant reminder that time was running out.