Chapter Fifteen: Echoes in the Dark

The forest around them seemed to hold its breath, every sound amplified in the oppressive silence. Seraphina's magic hummed beneath her skin, coiled tight and ready to strike. Damian stood at her side, his blade drawn, his stance a picture of lethal focus.

The crack they'd heard earlier came again, followed by the rustle of leaves. A shadow moved in the corner of Seraphina's vision. She turned sharply, her dagger raised, her other hand already preparing a defensive spell.

"Show yourself," she commanded, her voice ringing with authority.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, from the shadows, a figure stepped into the moonlight. It was a young woman, her pale skin glowing faintly in the dim light. Her black hair fell in tangled waves around her face, and her eyes glinted with an eerie red hue.

"Selene's forces," Damian muttered under his breath.

The woman smiled, a cold, humorless twist of her lips. "Not quite," she said, her voice as sharp as the edge of a blade.

Seraphina frowned, her grip tightening on her dagger. "Who are you, then?"

The woman took a step closer, her movements graceful yet deliberate. "A messenger," she replied. "And I bring a warning."

"Spare us the theatrics," Damian said, his tone edged with impatience. "If Selene sent you, we're not interested."

The woman's smile widened, and her gaze locked onto Seraphina. "Oh, but this message isn't from Selene. It's about her. She's growing impatient, and she's planning something big—something that will destroy all of you if you're not careful."

Seraphina's stomach tightened. "Why should we trust you?"

"You shouldn't," the woman said with a shrug. "But you'll want to listen if you value your lives."

Damian stepped forward, placing himself slightly in front of Seraphina. "If you're not with Selene, who are you working for?"

The woman's expression turned sly. "Let's just say I have my own reasons for wanting her plans to fail."

Seraphina narrowed her eyes, her instincts screaming not to trust this stranger. But there was something in the woman's tone, a note of genuine urgency, that made her pause.

"What does she want?" Seraphina asked cautiously.

"The shard," the woman said simply. "She'll stop at nothing to get it. And if you don't act soon, she'll bring the full force of her coven down on this place. No one will survive."

Seraphina's blood ran cold. She glanced at Damian, who met her gaze with a frown.

"What do you mean by 'act soon'?" Seraphina asked, turning back to the woman.

The stranger stepped closer, her expression serious now. "I mean you need to take the fight to her before she has the chance to strike. She's vulnerable right now, distracted by her obsession with the shard. But that window won't last long."

Seraphina hesitated, weighing the woman's words. The idea of launching an attack on Selene's coven was daunting, but waiting for Selene to strike first could be even worse.

Before she could respond, the woman took a step back, retreating into the shadows. "I've said what I came to say. The rest is up to you."

"Wait!" Seraphina called, but the woman was already gone, her presence dissipating like mist in the wind.

Damian exhaled sharply, his grip on his blade relaxing. "Do you believe her?"

Seraphina stared at the spot where the woman had disappeared, her mind racing. "I don't know," she admitted. "But if there's even a chance she's telling the truth, we can't ignore it."

Damian nodded, his expression grim. "Then we need to prepare. If we're going after Selene, we'll need everything we've got."

Back at the stronghold, Seraphina gathered Lysandra and the council to relay what had happened. The news sent ripples of unease through the group, but Lysandra's sharp mind quickly shifted to strategy.

"If this messenger is right, Selene is planning something bigger than we anticipated," Lysandra said. "We need to strike first, but we can't rush into this without a solid plan."

The council deliberated late into the night, mapping out potential strategies and gathering intelligence on Selene's stronghold. Damian stayed close to Seraphina throughout, his quiet presence a source of strength.

When the meeting finally adjourned, the stronghold was quiet, the witches retreating to their quarters to rest before the coming battle. Seraphina lingered in the war room, staring at the map spread across the table.

"You should get some sleep," Damian said softly, stepping up beside her.

She shook her head, exhaustion tugging at her but her mind too restless to rest. "I can't. There's too much at stake."

Damian reached out, his hand brushing hers. "You don't have to carry this alone, Seraphina. We're all in this together."

She looked up at him, her chest tightening at the sincerity in his eyes. "It feels like the weight of the world is on my shoulders," she admitted.

Damian's hand moved to her cheek, his thumb brushing her skin in a tender gesture. "You're not alone," he said firmly