Chapter 44: Echoes of the Cursed

Echoes of the Cursed

The weight of Alexander's golden gaze bore into Aria as the black stone sat ominously between them, its surface absorbing the dim candlelight in his office rather than reflecting it. The room had never felt so suffocating, the air charged with something beyond just tension—something darker, heavier.

Aria clenched her hands at her sides. "It spoke to me, Alexander."

His jaw tightened, his fingers flexing before curling into a fist atop the desk. "You're sure?"

Her throat felt dry, but she nodded. "I heard it… inside my mind. It wasn't like a whisper in the wind, not something external. It was inside me."

Alexander's expression darkened further, a storm brewing beneath the surface. He took a slow step toward her, his presence wrapping around her like a tangible force.

"What did it say?" His voice was controlled, but she could hear the tension beneath it.

Aria hesitated. "It said the curse cannot be broken."