Beneath the Tarnished Silver

"Drained?" Gail repeated, her voice a choked whisper. "You mean... something took her life?"

Caspian nodded slowly, his gaze unwavering. "The Grimorium speaks of such entities. Beings that feed on the vital energy of the living. They are drawn to places where the veil is thin, where power is being invoked."

"And Giulina... her connection to the book... it attracted something like that?" I asked, my mind reeling from the implications.

"Her sensitivity, amplified by the Grimorium, made her a beacon," Caspian explained, his voice somber. "She was unknowingly drawing attention to herself."

"But why wouldn't you have stopped her?" Gail cried out, her voice filled with anguish. "If you knew the risks..."

Caspian's expression was etched with pain. "I tried to guide her, to teach her the necessary protections. But her thirst for knowledge was insatiable. She delved deeper than I advised, sought experiences I cautioned against."