8: The Dead Cannot Return🐦‍🔥

Luna Valerius

No one was speaking. No one was breathing. Silas was not moving.

"Is this a joke?" he said at last. Dante shook his head.

"I wish it were." Silas's jaw tightened.

"Aria is dead," he said, fury in his voice.

"Yes," said Dante. "That's what I thought too."

"I held her funeral," Silas said, gripping his hair, pulling at it.

"I know," said Dante, fear creeping in.

"I built her grave," he said. He was in shock.

"I know," Dante said again. He seemed at a loss.

"Then tell me who the hell is standing at the door, Dante!"

His final words exploded through the hall. Even Dante drew back. Hestia swallowed slowly.

"I saw her too," Hestia said, trembling. Silas turned on her in rage.

"Hestia."

The woman closed her eyes.

"Believe me, Silas. I saw her."

"Impossible," Silas said.

"Yes," Dante whispered. "Impossible. The dead cannot return."

And then, from outside the castle, a woman's voice rang out.

"Are you sure about that, brother?"

My heart stopped. All color drained from Silas's face. Dante cursed. Hestia stepped back. I looked at the door. The woman's voice came again.

"After thirteen years, this is how you welcome me?"

Silas began to move. At the same moment he roared, "OPEN THE GATE!"

"Silas..." Dante began.

"Open it," he insisted.

"It could be a trap," Hestia said.

"I SAID OPEN IT!" Silas thundered. Dante and Hestia's wolf bowed in submission. The castle's enormous gates groaned open. Cold wind flooded in. And I saw her. Long black hair. Pale skin. Ice-blue eyes. Her face was so like Silas's I couldn't breathe. The woman smiled.

"Hello, brother."

Silas stood frozen. "Aria..."

She tilted her head. "Didn't you miss me?"

Silas took a step. Then another. Everyone watched. She opened her arms. "Come, embrace me."

Dante screamed, "DON'T!"

But it was too late. Silas reached her. Aria smiled. And in an instant, the silver dagger in her hand drove into Silas's stomach. The hall filled with screams.

"Silas!"

I started running. But Aria was faster. She wrenched the bloody blade free. Brought her lips to Silas's ear. And whispered:

"Just like they told you, brother... The dead cannot return."

Then her body dissolved into black smoke before our eyes. And vanished. Only Silas remained, drenched in blood. But that wasn't what terrified me. Because the blood pouring from Silas's wound... It wasn't red. It was pitch black.

Hestia's face went white. "No..." she cried. Dante's eyes widened in horror.

"This isn't possible."

"What's happening?" I screamed. No one answered.

"WHAT IS HAPPENING?!"

Hestia parted her trembling lips. "It's a death seal." My breath caught.

"What do you mean, a death seal?"

Dante clenched his fists. "It's a cursed spell."

"What kind of spell?"

"One that slowly consumes the victim's soul."

My knees gave way.

"No..."

Silas coughed. Black blood trickled from his lips. I dropped to his side, cradling his head in my lap.

"No. No. No." Silas forced a smile.

"Don't panic so much, little wolf."

"Shut up," I said, my eyes flooding. I wasn't strong enough for this.

"Luna..." Silas said, pain saturating his voice.

"I said shut up."

"You're giving orders again."

My eyes burned.

"Why are you still joking?"

Silas looked at me. This time his smile was far more tired. "Because I don't want to see you cry."

My heart shattered. Dante suddenly dropped to his knees.

"Luna," he said. I lifted my head.

"What?"

"There's a way to save him," he said, tense. I shot to my feet.

"What is it?"

Dante fell silent. Hestia closed her eyes.

"The price is heavy," Dante said, looking at Silas.

"I don't care," I said at once. He had saved me against everything. Now it was my turn.

"Luna..."

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE PRICE!"

The hall went quiet. Dante looked at me. Then he whispered:

"You have to seal him."

"Seal him?"

"Yes."

"How?" I asked, desperate. Dante's face darkened.

"By binding his soul to your own."

Silas suddenly snarled.

"No."

We all turned to him.

"Silas..." I said, pushing my hand against him to keep him down.

"I said no." He was struggling to breathe. But his eyes were still locked on mine.

"If you do this..." he said, coughing blood. I closed my eyes.

"I'll save you," I continued.

"If you do this..." he said again. His voice cracked.

"This life ends, Luna." My heart clenched.

"What does that mean?"

"Everything begins again," said Dante.

"I don't understand," I said, because I understood nothing. Silas closed his eyes in agony. Then he whispered:

"A new life." I stopped breathing.

"What?" I said, looking at Dante and Hestia. "What does that mean?"

"New names," Silas continued, his voice full of pain.

"Silas..." I said, looking at his state. "I have to do this..." I whispered to myself.

"New bodies, Luna..." he said. He took my hand. His fingers were ice-cold.

"And perhaps..." His eyes locked onto mine.

"This time, we will hate each other."