Chapter 13

SELENE'S BETRAYAL

The confrontation with the First Shade left Amara shaken. Her mind replayed the Shade's parting words as she and Lysander returned to the mortal realm through the rift.

"To sever the curse, you must make a sacrifice. Something precious… or someone."

Back at the cabin, Selene was waiting. Her expression darkened as soon as she saw them. "You've been to the Abyss," she said, her voice sharp.

"How do you know?" Amara asked.

"I felt the disturbance," Selene replied. Her eyes flicked to Lysander, narrowing. "And I warned you about this. You've put us all in danger."

"We didn't have a choice," Amara said defensively. "The First Shade is the only one who knows how to break the curse."

"And what did she demand in return?" Selene asked, her tone biting.

Amara hesitated. "A sacrifice."

Selene's jaw tightened. "You've played right into her hands."

Later that night, Selene pulled Lysander aside while Amara rested. Shadows flickered faintly around him as he leaned against the cabin wall, his arms crossed.

"You should have stopped her," Selene hissed.

"I couldn't," Lysander replied, his voice calm but firm. "She has the right to make her own choices."

"Her choices will get her killed," Selene snapped. "Or worse, they'll doom us all."

Lysander's gaze darkened. "And what would you have me do, Selene? Control her? Betray her trust?"

Selene stepped closer, her voice lowering to a near whisper. "You know what the First Shade wants. You've seen how dangerous Amara's powers are becoming. If you truly care about her, you'll end this before it's too late."

Lysander's shadows flared in warning. "Be careful, Selene."

Selene's lips curled into a bitter smile. "You think I'm the enemy here? I'm trying to help.

Selene's smile faded as she straightened, her voice colder now. "I'm trying to protect her, Lysander. But you… you're blinded by your guilt and your obsession with her."

"You don't understand," Lysander growled, his shadows coiling tighter.

"Oh, I understand perfectly," Selene said, stepping closer. "This isn't just about breaking the curse. This is about you not wanting to lose her again. But what happens when her power becomes uncontrollable? When the curse demands more than she can give?"

Lysander didn't answer, his silence speaking volumes.

Selene exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "If you won't stop her, I will. I won't let the world burn for your love story."

Lysander's gaze sharpened. "What are you planning?"

"Whatever it takes," Selene said simply, before turning and walking away into the shadows of the forest.

The following morning, Amara noticed something off about Selene's behavior. Her usual sharp remarks were replaced by a forced calmness, and she avoided meeting Amara's eyes.

"What's wrong?" Amara asked cautiously as Selene prepared an infusion at the cabin's hearth.

"Nothing you need to worry about," Selene replied, her tone clipped.

Amara didn't believe her. "If you're upset about me going to the Abyss, just say it. I'm tired of the cryptic warnings."

Selene's hands paused, and for a moment, she looked torn. But then she sighed and turned to face Amara. "It's not just about the Abyss. It's about you, Amara. You're playing with forces you don't understand."

"I didn't ask for this," Amara said, her voice trembling. "I didn't ask for this mark or these powers. But I can't just stand by and do nothing."

Selene's expression softened, but only briefly. "You may not have asked for it, but you have a choice now. You can walk away before it's too late."

Amara shook her head. "I'm not walking away. I can't."

Selene's jaw tightened, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Then you're a fool."

That night, Amara dreamed of Selene standing in a circle of fire, holding a dagger slick with blood. The shadows around her writhed, whispering in an ancient language Amara couldn't understand.

When she woke, her wrist burned. She sat up, gasping for air, and noticed Lysander sitting by the window, staring out into the darkness.

"You felt it too?" she asked.

He nodded without looking at her. "Something's wrong."

Amara rubbed the mark on her wrist, trying to soothe the ache. "It's Selene, isn't it? She's hiding something."

"She's desperate," Lysander said grimly. "Desperate people make dangerous choices."

"What do we do?"

"We watch," he said. "And we prepare."

The next evening, Selene was gone. Amara and Lysander found her belongings missing and a faint trail of magic leading into the forest.

"She's done something," Lysander said, his tone laced with anger.

"Do you think she—"

"She's gone to the Council," Lysander interrupted, his shadows flaring with intensity. "She's going to expose us. Or worse, she'll strike a deal with the First Shade."

Amara's stomach dropped. "Why would she do that?"

"To stop us," Lysander replied. "Or to save you in her own twisted way."

Without hesitation, they followed the trail into the forest. It led them to a clearing where Selene stood, surrounded by dark tendrils of magic.

"Selene!" Amara called out, her voice filled with hurt and confusion.

Selene turned, her expression unreadable. "I warned you, Amara. But you didn't listen."

"What are you doing?" Amara demanded.

Selene raised a hand, her magic crackling in the air. "What I should have done from the start. I'm ending this before you destroy us all."

The shadows around her coalesced, forming a portal. Through it, Amara glimpsed the dark throne room of the Council of Shades—and a figure waiting within: the First Shade herself.

"You're making a mistake," Lysander growled, stepping forward.

"No," Selene said, her voice trembling with conviction. "I'm saving her. Even if it means sacrificing you."

Before either Amara or Lysander could stop her, Selene stepped through the portal, disappearing into the darkness.

The portal collapsed, leaving Amara and Lysander standing in stunned silence.

"She's working with the Council," Amara said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Or worse, with the First Shade," Lysander muttered.

Amara's heart sank. Selene had been their ally, even their friend at times, and now she had turned against them. But more than that, Amara couldn't shake the feeling that Selene's betrayal was only the beginning of a much larger plan.

"What do we do now?" she asked.

Lysander's expression hardened. "We stop her. Whatever it takes."

As they turned back toward the cabin, the shadows around them seemed darker, heavier, as if the Abyss itself was closing in. Amara clenched her fists, determined not to let Selene's betrayal break her resolve.

The First Shade wants a sacrifice, she thought. But I'm not giving her one.