Seraphine turned slowly, her pulse steady despite the fear coiling in her chest.
"Show yourself," she commanded.
The candlelight flickered—and the shadows moved.
A figure stepped forward, cloaked in darkness, their face obscured. But Seraphine felt the weight of their gaze, the unspoken threat in the air.
"You shouldn't be here," the voice murmured. Low, knowing, edged with something dangerous.
Seraphine's grip tightened on the manuscript. "Neither should you."
The figure chuckled. "Oh, but I should. Someone has to make sure secrets remain buried."
A warning. A challenge.
Seraphine lifted her chin. "You're too late. I know the truth."
The silence stretched. Then, a slow, deliberate step forward.
"Then I suppose," the voice mused, "we'll see how far you're willing to go for it."
To be continued…
---