ECHOES OF TIME

Chapter 9: The Storm Within

Ava’s pulse pounded in her ears as Karl vanished into the shadows of the forest. She could still feel his gaze burning into her from a distance, a presence that lingered even when he was out of sight. The old maid’s words echoed in her mind: He’ll know. He always knows.

Her fingers tightened around the locket. The weight of it seemed heavier now, as if the crystal inside was pulsing with a life of its own. What had Karl really given her? And why did the maid seem so terrified of it?

Ava couldn’t stay still anymore. Her mind raced with too many questions, and staying locked in this attic felt like waiting for a storm to break. She needed answers, and more than that—she needed a way out.

Her eyes darted to the door. The old maid had left it ajar in her panic, and the faintest sliver of hope crept into Ava’s mind. Maybe Karl wasn’t as all-knowing as the maid believed. Maybe he wouldn’t realize if she slipped away, if she vanished into the woods beyond his mansion.

Without wasting another second, Ava pushed the door open and slipped out into the corridor. The house was eerily silent, the kind of silence that felt unnatural. The dim light from the windows barely reached the hallway, casting long, ghostly shadows on the walls. Every creak beneath her footsteps made her heart jump, but she forced herself to move forward.

She didn’t know where she was going, only that she had to keep moving. The mansion felt like a maze—long corridors that twisted and turned, endless doors that led to empty rooms. But Ava was determined. She wouldn’t let this place, or Karl, trap her.

Finally, she reached the staircase that spiraled down into the main hall. The massive chandelier hanging above flickered slightly, casting an ominous glow over the dark wood floors. Ava paused, her breath catching in her throat.

The dragon.

Ava could feel its presence before she saw it. A low rumble vibrated through the floor, a sound so deep and powerful it felt like the earth itself was growling. She peered over the banister, her eyes widening as she caught sight of the beast.

It was lying just outside the front door, its massive form coiled like a serpent, its scales shimmering with an unnatural glow. Smoke drifted lazily from its nostrils, and its golden eyes glowed faintly in the darkness. The dragon looked as if it were asleep, but Ava knew better. It was waiting. Guarding.

Her escape wasn’t going to be easy.

Ava’s mind raced. She could sneak out through one of the side doors, but the dragon’s senses were too sharp. If it so much as sniffed her presence, she’d never make it far. And then there was Karl. He was out there somewhere, lurking in the forest with his deadly calm demeanor and terrifying power. She couldn’t risk running into him either.

But she had no choice. She couldn’t stay here, trapped in this house with no answers and no way out. She had to take the risk.

Taking a deep breath, Ava descended the staircase, moving as silently as she could. Every step felt like a lifetime, the tension mounting with each creak of the floorboards. Her eyes never left the dragon, its presence looming over the entire hall like a dark shadow.

She was almost at the bottom when the dragon stirred.

Ava froze. Its massive head lifted slightly, its golden eyes narrowing as it sniffed the air. Her heart pounded in her chest as she pressed herself against the wall, praying it wouldn’t notice her.

For a moment, the dragon stayed still, its nostrils flaring. Then, with a soft grunt, it lowered its head back down, its breathing slowing once more.

Ava let out a shaky breath, her legs trembling. She couldn’t afford any more mistakes. She had to move faster.

With renewed determination, she slipped through one of the side doors, the cool night air hitting her face like a slap. She was outside. Free.

But as Ava ran through the courtyard, her eyes scanning the woods for a place to hide, she felt a familiar shiver crawl up her spine.

Karl.

Even though she couldn’t see him, she could feel his presence. It was as if the shadows themselves were whispering his name, drawing her closer to him with every step she took. She needed to keep running, to get as far from him as possible. But her feet slowed, her mind clouded by a strange pull.

And then she heard it. His voice, low and dangerous, cutting through the silence.

“Going somewhere, Ava?”

Her heart nearly stopped.

Ava spun around, her eyes locking onto Karl’s figure as he stepped out from the edge of the forest. His black coat billowed slightly in the wind, and his eyes—those fire-shaped, glowing eyes—were fixed solely on her.

She backed away, her pulse racing. “Stay away from me,” she warned, her voice trembling.

Karl took another step forward, his gaze intense. “You should know by now, Ava. You can’t run from me.”

Her mind screamed for her to keep running, but her body wouldn’t move. Karl’s presence was suffocating, wrapping around her like chains. She could feel the power radiating off him, an unspoken command that her body couldn’t disobey.

“Why are you doing this?” Ava’s voice cracked as she clutched the locket tighter, desperate for some kind of protection. “Why me? What do you want from me?”

Karl’s expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes. Something dangerous. “You were never meant to be here,” he said softly. “But now that you are… you’re part of this, Ava. You always have been.”

Ava shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. “I don’t belong here. I built a time machine to find answers, not to get trapped in your world!”

Karl’s lips curled into a faint smile, one that sent a chill down her spine. “You think you’re in control? That you chose this path?” He stepped closer, his voice low and hypnotic. “Everything has been leading to this moment, Ava. From the second you built that machine, you set things in motion that you can’t stop.”

Ava’s breath hitched, her mind spinning. What was he saying? That this was all inevitable? That she had no choice?

“No,” she whispered, shaking her head. “I won’t be a part of this.”

But Karl’s smile only deepened. “You already are.”

Before Ava could react, Karl’s hand shot out, grabbing her wrist with a grip that felt like iron. The moment his skin touched hers, the locket flared to life, glowing with a brilliant, blinding light.

Ava gasped as a surge of energy shot through her, her body trembling under the intensity of it. The locket pulsed, the crystal inside swirling with dark energy that seemed to connect her to Karl in a way she couldn’t understand.

“This is only the beginning,” Karl whispered, his voice filled with a dark promise. “You and I… we’re bound together now.”

Ava’s eyes widened in horror as the world around her blurred, the edges of her vision darkening. She could feel herself slipping away, the power of the locket pulling her deeper into Karl’s grasp.

And as the darkness consumed her, the last thing she heard was Karl’s voice, echoing in her mind.

“There’s no escaping fate, Ava. Not when it’s written in blood.”