Chapter Eight: A Test of Loyalty

Selene's presence was suffocating, her dark magic saturating the clearing like a poisonous fog. Seraphina's pulse quickened, her fingers twitching with the urge to strike first, but Damian's low voice stopped her.

"Don't," he murmured. "She's testing us."

Selene tilted her head, her sharp features gleaming with satisfaction as she took a step closer. "Still the cautious one, Damian. Tell me, how does it feel to betray your own kind?"

Damian's jaw tightened, but he didn't rise to the bait. "I didn't betray anyone. You and the council betrayed the coven with your lies and power-hungry schemes."

"Spoken like a man who knows nothing," Selene said smoothly. Her gaze shifted to Seraphina. "And you… How quaint, an Auria witch playing savior. Do you even know the truth about this so-called curse you're so desperate to break?"

Seraphina squared her shoulders, refusing to flinch under Selene's scrutiny. "What I know is that the curse is killing innocent people. If you have something to say, then say it."

Selene chuckled, the sound dark and hollow. "Such bravado. I see why he likes you."

The Noctis witches surrounding her exchanged glances, their magic simmering in the air like an unspoken threat.

"Enough games, Selene," Damian said, his voice sharp. "What do you want?"

"What I've always wanted," she replied, her expression hardening. "Power. And you've brought me exactly what I need."

Her eyes flicked to the shard in Seraphina's hand, its dark light reflecting in her gaze like a predator watching its prey.

"You're not getting it," Seraphina said, her voice steady despite the storm brewing inside her.

Selene smirked. "You think you have a choice?"

With a wave of her hand, the Noctis witches surged forward, their magic lashing out in a whirlwind of shadow and flame.

The clearing erupted into chaos.

Seraphina hurled a blast of light toward the nearest witch, the force of her magic knocking them off their feet. Damian moved like a shadow, his amber magic slicing through the darkness with precision and fury.

Selene stood back, watching the battle unfold with an air of detached amusement. She raised her hand, and the ground beneath Seraphina cracked and splintered, forcing her to leap aside.

"You'll have to do better than that," Selene said, her tone mocking.

Seraphina gritted her teeth, her magic flaring as she launched another attack. This time, Selene deflected it with ease, her movements graceful and unhurried.

"You're strong," Selene admitted, her eyes gleaming. "But strength alone won't save you."

Seraphina didn't respond. She was too focused on the fight, her mind racing as she tried to find an opening.

Damian, meanwhile, was locked in a fierce duel with two Noctis witches, their spells colliding in bursts of light and shadow. He fought with a ruthless efficiency that Seraphina had come to admire, but even he was struggling to hold them off.

"We can't keep this up!" she called out, dodging another attack from Selene.

"I know," Damian replied, his voice strained.

Selene laughed, the sound cutting through the chaos like a blade. "Why do you resist? You're outnumbered, outmatched. Hand over the shard, and I might let you live."

"Not a chance," Seraphina shot back, her magic crackling around her like a shield.

Selene's expression darkened, and for the first time, her amusement gave way to anger. "So be it."

She raised both hands, and the air around her seemed to collapse inward, drawing the shadows into a swirling vortex of raw power. The ground shook, and Seraphina felt her magic falter under the weight of it.

"Damian!" she shouted, panic creeping into her voice.

"I see it!" he replied, abandoning his fight to rush to her side.

The two of them stood together, their magic mingling as they faced Selene's onslaught. The vortex grew larger, its energy ripping through the clearing with a deafening roar.

"We have to stop her," Seraphina said, her voice barely audible over the chaos.

"I know," Damian said, his amber eyes locked on Selene. "But it's going to take everything we have."

"Then let's do it," Seraphina said, determination hardening her resolve.

They joined hands, their magic intertwining as they focused their energy on Selene. The light of the shard in Seraphina's hand flared, its power amplifying their spell.

The vortex shattered under the force of their combined attack, the explosion of light and shadow sending shockwaves through the clearing.

When the dust settled, Selene was on her knees, her dark robes torn and her expression twisted with fury.

"This isn't over," she hissed, her voice venomous.

Before Seraphina or Damian could react, Selene and her witches vanished into the shadows, leaving the clearing eerily silent.

Seraphina collapsed to the ground, her body trembling with exhaustion. The shard in her hand felt heavier than ever, its light dimming as if in response to their victory.

Damian sat beside her, his breathing ragged but steady. "You okay?"

"Barely," she admitted. "What about you?"

"I've been worse," he said with a faint smile.

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their victory tempered by the knowledge that it was only temporary.

"She's not going to stop," Seraphina said, her voice quiet.

"I know," Damian replied. "But neither are we."

For a moment, their eyes met, and Seraphina felt a flicker of something she couldn't quite name. Trust. Understanding. Maybe even hope.

But as they prepared to leave the clearing, one thing was certain: the road ahead would only get harder.