Lahat ng Kabanata ng MoonLit Sins: The Curse Of Red Hollow: Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

Moonlight spilled across Kael’s apartment like a confidant messenger, dust motes dancing in its silver glow. We stood on the small balcony, wrapped in thick blankets and each other’s warmth. The city of Red Hollow lay silent and watchful.Kael cracked that signature smirk. “See, Lyra? Moon’s still here. No magical reset, no apocalypse, just this quiet night.”I took a sip from the mug he passed me, it was coffee, late-night strong, the kind that tastes like survival. “Yet. Don’t jinx it.”He winked. “Too late.”I narrowed my eyes. “Great. You owe me a new heart.”He brushed back a strand of my hair. “Peachy as always.”We sipped in companionable silence, hearts syncing with the hush of the city. Until Kael sighed. “This, us, this feels real. Like we’re not just chasing nightmares.”I leaned into him. “Mostly because you hold the blade instead of me.”He rolled his eyes. “Thanks. I’ll mark that as a compliment.”He handed me a small chocolate bar. “Here, pre-battle morale.”I shook it

Our victory in the Cathedral Rotunda felt fleeting as we stepped into the streets of Red Hollow, a city girded in wary silence under a blood-red moon. Kael’s hand found mine, both warm against the bite of night air. I wore the Thornbane ring; he still wielded his blade, symbols of hope and danger entwined.“We’re walking into another trap, aren’t we?” Kael muttered, voice tight.I glanced at him with a frown. “Yes. It’s tradition at this point.”He smirked. “At least we’re incurably consistent.”We crossed toward the Veiled Enclave, a disused theatre converted into a ward, guarded site of Arcane Council gatherings. Tonight’s summons came from Selene: a sudden spike in ritual energy emanated beneath the stage. Our task: investigate and secure.We slipped through the heavy iron gates, wards humming soft warnings. The stage curtains were torn; the air smelled of old incense and damp dread.Kael whispered: “The vibe here is ‘Don’t ask, just don’t touch anything.’”I leaned close. “I touch

The forbidden forest welcomed us with silence so thick it was nearly palpable. Moss clung to ancient trees; mist curled like pale fingers around our ankles. A ruined temple, its stones half-buried by centuries of ivy and rot, emerged from the gloom, skeletal and ominous.Kael’s hand tightened around mine. “Nice place for a romantic walk.”I offered a wry grin. “Perfect setting for unresolved issues.”He shot me a mock pout. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think this was your idea.”I rolled my eyes. “Admit it: you love my ideas.”He smirked back. “In small doses.”We crossed the threshold under carved ragged runes. A low hum vibrated through the ground, a pulse of magic and menace both alive and wary.Inside, torchlight flickered against the damp walls. Every footstep echoed. I felt my pulse quicken, not because of fear, but something deeper, something woven between the two of us.Kael paused at a shattered pillar. “You okay?”I touched the cool stone. “Uneasy. Like we’re not alone.”He

The dawn found us on Gargoyle Hall’s rooftop, wrapped in blankets stitched by Selene’s trembling hands and warmed by the dying embers of last night’s ritual fire. Smoke curled lazily toward the pale sky, dragging with it the scent of ash, burnt blood, and something older, war. The final kind.Ash still clung to our hair and skin, streaking us like tribal markings. The scars of what we’d done, what we’d survived, and who we’d become. Kael’s fingers interlaced with mine, rough and unyielding, but I could feel the tremor in them. We said nothing. The city below us groaned awake, exhaling as though it too had survived a nightmare.Kael was the first to speak, his voice dry but laced with humor. “We survived betrayal, blood magic, and nearly losing our heir. I think that entitles us to breakfast.”I cracked a tired smile, my throat still sore from chanting runes and shouting commands. “We deserve more than breakfast. We deserve peace.”He turned to me with a crooked grin, ash dusting his s

Dawn’s glow had long faded into restless twilight as Kael and I made our way through the granite corridors beneath the Rotunda. The wards we re-forged still thrummed faintly in my bones, resonating with every careful breath. Above, Red Hollow slept in uneasy peace; beneath us, the city’s veins pulsed with new life, and new danger.I traced my fingers along the carved sigils on the wall, each rune a silent promise. Until tonight, I believed every bond we forged could be unbroken. But the witch who delivered Selene’s message had wreathed my future in trembling ash. Something ancient had awoken.Kael moved beside me in silence. His blade hung at his side, but I knew his tension had nothing to do with the weapon. Guilt, maybe? Or dread?He brushed his hand against mine. “I still believe what we did down there was right.”I didn’t look at him. “We reshaped the curse, but I don’t know if it stayed transformed.”Ahead, a door creaked open. Flickering torches cast harsh, dancing shapes on the