All Chapters of A CONTRACT SIGNED IN BLOOD AND DESIRE : Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

The old cathedral stood at the end of a forgotten street.It was a forgotten place.Its stone walls, overgrown with vines, several windows broken, the heavy wooden doors chained tight.No one would have known that beneath it was the largest store of secrets the Covenant had ever collected.Lina stood across the street as Amara led their group to the building."This is it?"Amara nodded."The archives are beneath it."Fames looked at the cathedral."And you're sure that no one is there?""No."Lina looked back toward Amara."No?"Amara shook her head."I said that no one is supposed to be here.""That isn't the same thing.""It isn't."Mara looked toward Elias."Do you know what is inside it?"Elias gave the cathedral a long, hard look."More than I care to," he admitted.Lina firmed her grip over the small metal key Amara had given her.It was oddly warm.She had held it over her heart throughout the morning, and it had never stopped glowing."What are we looking for exactly?"Amara r

For several seconds nobody movedThe old Rain estate loomed behind them, its windows shattered, the walls trembling from what had roused from within.Lina stared at the faint symbol glowing on her palmThe sixthIt had vanished when she had released the sourcebut now it had returneddifferentthere was no warmthno powerno voice telling her what to dojust something like a door, that could either stay closed or open.Darius was several feet away, studying her."You formed a rule."Lina looked at him."I thought I stopped them.""You did.""Then why is the symbol still there?""Because you didn't destroy the power.""I released it.""Yes.""Then yet I am still connected to it."Darius nodded."Because the source is not the only thing that changed."Lina looked toward the ruined estate."What changed?""You."Fames stepped closer."She shouldn't have to carry this forever."Darius looked at him."She doesn't."Lina's eyes narrowed as she looked at him."Then explain."Darius walked to

The woman stood before Lina in complete silence.She looked the same as Lina saw her before in the strange place between creation and destruction.Same face.Same calm eyes.Same presence that made the entire world seem insignificant.But this time, she looked human.Not a shadow.Not a vision.Not a memory.Human.Alive.Lina stared at the woman.“You said that you were the First Witness.”The woman nodded.“Yes.”“And you created the Seventh?”“Yes.”Darius stepped forward.“You lied to us.”The woman looked at him.“No.”“You told me that you were the First Creation.”“I was.”“But you are the Witness.”“I am both.”Darius frowned.“That is impossible.”The woman smiled.“You have spent centuries thinking that there was only one beginning.”She looked around the ancient city.“There wasn’t.”Lina looked at the vast structures around them.“What is this place?”“The First City.”“Who built it?”“The First People who discovered the source.”Lina looked around in awe.“This is older t

The darkness was gone as quickly as it had come.One moment the sky above their city was pitch black.The next second the sun broke through the clouds.Lina was in the middle of the road staring after the place where Orion had vanished.Nobody moved.Nobody spoke.Even the strange symbol that had hovered over the horizon was gone.But something about the world felt different.Changed.Lina turned to Darius."Did you see that symbol?""Yes," he said after a moment."What was it?""I don't know.""You've seen every symbol connected to the source.""Almost every one."Lina's eyes narrowed."Almost?"Darius didn't reply.Fames frowned."Darius."He looked at Fames."You know something."Darius exhaled slowly."I know a story.""A story?""One that was forbidden to be written."Lina crossed her arms over her chest."Then tell us."Darius looked around at the others."We shouldn't be standing here.""Why not?""Because if Orion has found us, then whoever was behind him can too."Aster looke

The chamber collapsed.Light spilled from the cracks in the floor as the Seventh symbol spread beneath Orion. The darkness surrounding him twisted violently towards his body as if some unseen force was attempting to drag it away.Lina stood frozen.She had expected the Architect to strike.Instead it screamed.Not in anger.In fear.You cannot do this.Lina looked to Orion."What did I do?"Orion stared at the symbol beneath him."You gave me a choice.""I thought that was what you wanted!""No."Orion's voice trembled."I wanted freedom."Lina frowned."Isn't that the same thing?"Orion shook his head."Not when you've forgotten how to use it."The darkness suddenly surged towards him.Fames pulled Lina backward."Lina!"A great wave surged across the chamber.Darius raised his arm to shield his face.Aster and Kael stumbled against the wall.Aria dropped to her knees.The Seventh symbol beneath Orion grew brighter.Then the darkness stopped.It took the shape of a mass of something