Chapter 40: fractures and foundation
The manor had gone quiet.
The kind of quiet that follows a storm—where the air still buzzes with leftover energy and no one quite knows what to say. Candles flickered against cracked walls, the scent of burned wood and ancient magic lingering in every room.
Selene sat curled in a blanket by the library fireplace. Her fingers traced the edge of the journal that had saved her—again. The seal inside it still pulsed faintly when she touched it, like it had a heartbeat. Hers? Cain's? She didn't know anymore.
Footsteps echoed behind her.
Cain entered quietly, two mugs in his hands. "You looked cold."
She turned, giving a tired smile. "Thanks." She took the mug and sipped. Cinnamon and honey. He remembered.
He sat beside her, their shoulders brushing. "You were brave today."
"I was terrified."
"But you still stood up to him."
She looked down at the fire. "Do you think this seal in me... means I'm cursed?"
"No," Cain said softly. "I think it means you were meant for something bigger. Maybe even bigger than us."