Chapter 9: Shadows and Secrets

The tension in the castle was becoming thicker by the day. Olivia couldn't forget the feeling that something had shifted, not just in her surroundings, but in the people closest to her. Most concerning of all was Lila.

Once warm and supportive, Lila had become distant to her. She rarely joined Olivia for meals or their once-in-a-while walks in the garden. Her smiles were now absent, her words became short and precise, and her once-affectionate looks were replaced by something colder and unfriendly.

At first, Olivia had tried not to react to it and believed it to be stress or a passing mood. But then she began to notice the weird changes.

It started with Lila's strange disappearances. Late at night, long after the castle had become silent, Olivia would hear small footsteps sounding through the corridors. Curious, she once followed the sound and saw Lila sneaking into the eastern wing, a part of the castle that was rarely used.

The next morning, Olivia casually mentioned the eastern wing during breakfast, hoping to gauge Lila's reaction. Lila didn't give a sign of knowing the place well, but her response was oddly practiced.

"Oh, it's just a quiet place to think," she said, her tone light but her eyes were hidden behind the food. "You should try it sometime."

Olivia nodded, pretending to accept the answer, but her suspicion only increased.

As the days passed, Lila's behavior became even more peculiar. She avoided Olivia's questions, often excusing herself instantly whenever the conversation turned personal between them.

One afternoon, Olivia decided to confront her directly. She found Lila in the library, having a personal understanding of a thick book with her eyes fixed firmly on the book.

"Lila," Olivia said, keeping her tone gentle, "is everything all right? You've been distant lately from me."

Lila looked up, her expression unreadable. "I'm fine, Olivia. Am Just busy."

"Busy with what?" Olivia asked further. "You've been disappearing at night, and—"

"That's none of your concern," Lila cut her shut immediately, her voice sharper than Olivia had ever heard.

The words stung, but Olivia refused to back down. "I'm your sister, Lila. If something's wrong, I want to help."

Lila closed the book with anger and stood up to leave, standing tall over Olivia. "You can't help me, Olivia. Not with this."

Before Olivia could respond, Lila walked past her and left the library without another word.

That night, Olivia couldn't sleep. Lila's coldness tormented her, and her curiosity became more serious than ever. She decided to investigate what could be wrong with her sister.

While the castle was in total silence, Olivia sneaked out of her chambers and crawled toward Lila's room. she checked and realized the door was locked, but Olivia knew with patience and hairpins, locks in the castle could be unlocked.

The room was not totally dark due to the flash of lighting from the moon that was shining through the windows. Olivia's heart kept pounding as she stepped inside the room, checking around the room for anything suspicious.

On the desk, a book bound in leather was partially hidden underneath a pile of papers. Olivia waited a bit, then picked it up.

The cover was blank, but when she opened it, she saw strange symbols and runes written in a language she didn't recognize at the opening of the book immediately. The pages were filled with diagrams and incantations, all seriously detailed.

As she opened the book with care, she noticed her body kept shivering. On one page, near the middle of the book, she found her name—Olivia—circled in bold red ink.

Her breath seized as she looked closely at the page. Why was her name here? What did it mean?

She checked the surrounding text written below the name, but the foreign writing couldn't help her with the clues. The only other recognizable marking was a symbol she had seen before—the Weaver's mark.

Olivia's mind kept racing. Was Lila working with the Weaver? Had she been involved in Olivia's repeated deaths across timelines? The thought sent a shiver all through her body.

Suddenly, Olivia heard footsteps in the hallway. Her heart moved into her throat as she realized Lila was returning to her room.

She quickly closed the book and placed it back on the desk, arranging the papers as best she could before hiding herself in the shadows.

The door opened with a creaking sound, and Lila stepped inside, carrying a small candle. The flashing light gave out a scary shadow across her face, making her look almost unrecognizable.

Olivia held her breath, pressing herself against the wall to remain hidden.

Lila moved to the desk and picked up the book, opening its pages with a speed that made Olivia's heart seize.

"You're running out of time," Lila mentioned to herself, her voice was very small. "If she finds out before it's ready…"

Olivia's pulse quickened. Before what's ready?

Lila shut the book immediately and placed it in a drawer, locking it with a small key she wore around her neck.

As Lila turned toward the bed, Olivia seized her chance and sneaked out of the room, her heart pounding in her chest.

Back in her own room, Olivia kept walking around the floor, holding her head in her hands. The puzzle was finally coming into place with the pieces of information she had been getting so far, but they didn't make sense.

Why was Lila performing rituals? Why was Olivia's name in that book? And what was Lila preparing for?

Her thoughts returned to the Weaver's warning. Your survival threatens the balance of the multiverse. Was Lila trying to "fix" the timeline? Or was she doing something even more dangerous?

One thing was clear: Olivia couldn't trust her sister anymore.

As dawn approached, Olivia sat by the window, staring out at the sun going down. The castle seemed peaceful, but she knew better. underneath what was visible, secrets and lies were happening, threatening to tear everything apart.

She glanced at herself in the glass, her eyes filled with determination.

"If Lila thinks she can control my fate," Olivia whispered to herself, "she's wrong. I'll uncover the truth, even if it destroys us both."

Her determination was strong, but the weight of her discovery pressed heavily on her chest. As the first rays of sunlight went down the castle walls, Olivia knew her battle was only beginning.