Chapter XXIX

The grand hall quaked, its very foundations protesting the violence that had unfolded within its ancient walls. My breaths were ragged, my mind a labyrinth of terror. The castle itself was alive—a beast that hungered for their suffering. And then, from the corner of their eyes, they saw it—the guard who had been stationed at the entrance. He flew through the air, his body propelled by an unseen force, and he crashed into the distant wall.

His scream echoed—a desperate plea for help that was swallowed by the castle's insatiable hunger. my heart raced. The shadows had been unleashed, and they were no longer content with mere whispers. They sought to consume everything—the guards, Alec, and me.

"I promise to keep you safe, we have to go," Alec's voice was urgent, his eyes wide with realization. "This place—it's not just cursed. It's alive."

I nodded; my legs unsteady. The castle's walls seemed to close in, the air thickening with menace. I glanced back at the wounded guard, his body crumpled like a discarded puppet. And lot of dried red roses covering scattered across the body.

Then the words hit me which was whispered by the darkness.

"You have broken the spell," a voice whispered, as if the wind itself carried secrets from a time long forgotten.

"We need answers," I said, my voice a fragile thread. "We can't run forever."

Alec's gaze held mine—a mix of determination. "Then we face the shadows," he declared. "Together."

They both ran out of the premise and as they ventured deeper into the castle's heart, and in this haunted labyrinth, they would seek the truth, unravel the threads of fate, and perhaps find a way to break free from the castle's insidious grip.

The stones whispering secrets of centuries past. My heart raced—a desperate rhythm that matched the urgency of their quest. Alec's eyes held a flicker of something—knowledge, perhaps, or guilt. I couldn't tell. But I knew he was hiding something—something that could unravel the curse or plunge them deeper into the abyss.

"Why are the shadows so malevolent? What happened here? the original inhabitants of this castle were stygian's or quinsley's?" my voice edged with agitation.

Alec's jaw tightened, and he glanced around as if expecting the very walls to eavesdrop. "I've heard about this place from my elders," he admitted, his voice low. "Legends, mostly. Whispers of a forbidden love, a betrayal that tore the fabric of reality."

My mind raced. "Nyx and Kier," she murmured.

"Yes," Alec confirmed. I shocked by his sudden answer. He never answers anything to me. "But there's more. The shadows—they're not just specters. They're memories—echoes of pain, rage, and vengeance. They feed on our fear, our guilt." 

His tone was extremely calm, and I'm so surprised he was telling me something which he kept hidden till now.

My gaze shifted to the wounded guard—the one who had flown through the air as if tossed by unseen hands. "And the guard?" I pressed. "Why did they attack him?"

Alec then met my terror filled eyes. "Because he was too close to the truth," he said. "He was digging into the castle's past, trying to uncover its secrets."

"And what did he find?" my pulse quickened. His face darkens as he drew himself a bit closer to me.

"That the curse is not just a curse," Alec replied darkly. "It's a prison—a cosmic knot that binds us all. Nyx, Kier, and you and Alec. We're pawns in a game older than time."

I clenched my fists. "You are not Alec?" 

Alec's gaze held hers. "Yes, I'm not" he admitted. "But you wanted answers, right? It's not just the shadows. There's something deeper—a force that thrives on your suffering."

"Who are you?" I questioned.

"I think we should start by looking through the books." Alec demeanor changed. And he is back but who tried to talk to me and what he meant by something is deeper? —a force that thrives on my suffering. How am I related to all this? Cosmic knot? A game older than time? what spell is broken? who possessed the Alec just now? Do we going to suffer the same fate as the guards and many people who got killed here by unnatural circumstances?

"Great idea," I agreed, but my eyes remained guarded.

"But remember, Oxyvi—some truths are better left buried." Alec stopped and looked over his shoulder, grinning.