Chapter 29

The Heart of the Curse

The gala hall stood before them like a wounded beast, its shattered doors hanging limply, revealing a cavernous interior bathed in a pulsing crimson glow. Shadows twisted across the cracked cobblestones of Wolfcrest Avenue, alive with menace. Aria clutched Rollan closer, his small body warm against her chest, his tiny fingers gripping her tunic. His wide eyes mirrored the eerie light, innocent yet burdened by the mark that pulsed faintly on his skin. Beside her, Caden’s presence was a steady anchor—his sword drawn, his wolf senses sharpened, his breath misting in the cold, ash-laden air. The stench of decay hung heavy, laced with a darker note: Victor’s essence, festering like a wound that refused to heal.

From the depths of the hall, Victor’s voice slithered forth, smooth and venomous. “Welcome back, Aria. It’s fitting, isn’t it? To end where it all began.”

Her jaw tightened, but her voice held firm. “You’re not taking him, Victor. You’re dead.”

A chilling laugh reverberated through the ruined hall. “Death is a matter of perspective, my dear. As long as the prophecy binds us, I am eternal.”

Caden’s growl vibrated through the air, his eyes flashing amber with the wolf’s rage. “Show yourself, coward.”

The crimson light flared, and at the hall’s far end, a figure coalesced—Victor’s spectral form, wreathed in writhing shadows, his golden eyes glinting with malice. “You’ve come so far,” he sneered, “only to fail at the final step.”

Aria’s skin crawled as she studied him. This wasn’t the man she’d once known; this was a distortion, a parasite born of the curse and prophecy. “What do you want?” she demanded.

Victor’s gaze locked onto Rollan, a predatory hunger in his stare. “The child’s blood is the key to my resurrection. With it, I will rise again, stronger than ever. And you, Aria, will be my vessel.”

Her stomach twisted. “Vessel?”

His smile was a slash of cruelty. “Your cursed blood and his mark are entwined. The prophecy demands a sacrifice—your life for his power. Poetic, don’t you think?”

Caden stepped forward, his sword catching the dim light. “You’ll have to go through me first.”

Victor’s laughter sliced through the tension. “Oh, I will. But first, let’s test the strength of your precious bond.”

The hall trembled, and the floor split open with a deafening crack, revealing a chasm aglow with crimson fire. Shadows erupted from the rift, forming into monstrous wolf-like creatures—their eyes burning coals, their claws dripping with inky blackness. They snarled, their forms flickering like nightmares given flesh.

Aria’s pulse raced. “Caden—”

“Stay behind me,” he barked, his body shifting in an instant. Black fur rippled over his skin, his form expanding into the towering wolf. He lunged at the nearest beast, jaws tearing through its shadowy hide. But the creatures multiplied, their numbers surging with every one he felled.

Aria pressed against the wall, her dagger drawn, her mind scrambling. We can’t fight them all. Her gaze dropped to Rollan, his mark glowing faintly in sync with the crimson light. His power. It had saved them before. She closed her eyes, drawing on the warmth of his presence. Please, help us.

A soft hum rose, and Rollan’s mark blazed with golden light. The shadow beasts shrank back, their forms fraying as the light swelled, pushing against the darkness. Victor hissed, his spectral eyes narrowing. “You think a child’s trick can stop me?”

The light grew, filling the hall, and the air shimmered. Suddenly, Aria stood in a memory—the night she first met Caden. The gala hall was whole, alive with music and warmth. She saw herself, younger, meeting his gaze across the room. A golden thread shimmered between them, their bond igniting in that fleeting moment.

Victor’s voice pierced the vision, dripping with scorn. “A meaningless memory.”

But Aria felt its weight. “It’s everything,” she whispered. “It’s where we chose each other.”

The scene shifted—the night of Rollan’s conception, their love fierce and unbreakable. The golden thread blazed, and clarity struck her. Our bond is the key, not the curse.

The vision faded, the hall snapping back into focus. The shadow beasts weakened, their forms unraveling. Caden fought on, his wolf form a whirlwind of fury, bolstered by the light. But Victor loomed above the chasm, his rage palpable.

“You cannot defy the prophecy!” he roared. “The child’s blood is mine!”

Aria faced him, her voice ringing. “The prophecy is ours—mine, Caden’s, and Rollan’s. Our bond outshines your curse.”

Victor’s eyes flared, and he unleashed a torrent of dark energy. It surged toward her, but Caden leaped into its path, the blast slamming into him. He yelped, his wolf form collapsing as he reverted to human, blood pooling from a gash in his side.

“Caden!” Aria dropped beside him, pressing her hand to the wound, panic surging.

Victor’s laughter rang out. “Your bond is your weakness.”

But her tears fell onto Caden’s skin, and the golden thread flared, merging with Rollan’s mark. A wave of power erupted, shaking the hall. Victor’s form wavered, his scream of fury twisting into disbelief.

“No!” he howled. “This isn’t possible!”

Aria stood, cradling Rollan. “Our love isn’t weakness. It’s strength—beyond your grasp.”

The light consumed Victor’s essence, his form shattering into shadows that dissolved into nothing. The chasm sealed, the crimson glow extinguished. Silence descended, heavy and absolute.

Aria knelt beside Caden, her hands shaking as she checked his wound. His eyes opened, weak but alive. “Is it over?”

She nodded, tears streaming. “Victor’s gone. For good.”

He squeezed her hand, his voice faint. “We did it.”

But a distant howl pierced the quiet, chilling and mournful. Aria’s heart sank. The loyalists. Victor’s followers remained, their resolve likely sharpened by his defeat.

Caden’s gaze hardened, despite his pain. “We’re not safe yet.”

Aria’s jaw set, determination flaring. “Then we finish this. For Rollan.”

Supporting Caden, she led them from the hall, dawn’s light breaking over Wolfcrest Avenue. The battle was won, but the war for their son’s future loomed ahead.