Novel & Cerita What Lies In The Shadow

The air has turned dense, heavy, as if we were trapped in a web of our own making—woven with lies, desires, and fears. I can feel the beat of my heart pounding in my ears as Shadow stands before me, eyes closed, as though wishing he could escape everything that’s about to unfold. I know he’s struggling too, but I can’t fully grasp it. Why does he keep pulling away? Why can’t he accept that this—we—is what we want, what we need?

Shadow breathed out, her stomach flattened. “He wants war,” he repeated slowly. “Because he desires that someone more than anything in this world.” Shadow understood. “That someone happens to be me.” Cole placed his sharp chin on her shoulder. “What should we do?” He asked, sheepishly. “I don’t know. Aside from giving Edmund the truth, I don’t know what to do anymore.” “Lie,” Cole said in an accusative tone. “Huh…” Shadow emitted a sharp bark of laughter at that. “You know me too well.”

“Home. But it’s going to take some time. There are... people who don’t want you to leave this place. They’re making it hard for me to help you.” Liam leaned closer, whispering conspiratorially as if sharing a secret. “The shadows,” he said, his voice barely audible. “They don’t want me to leave here do they? They want me to stay forever.” My heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean, Liam? What shadows?” He glanced around nervously, his grip on my hand tightening. “Those people. They plot and stalk us. They don’t like it when you come. You are trouble to them.”

Their unwavering support gave us strength, a reminder that we were not alone in this fight. Together, we embarked on a race against time, following the breadcrumbs left by The Shadow. Each clue led us deeper into a labyrinth of deceit and danger. We uncovered a vast network of corruption, connecting influential individuals across different sectors—politics, business, and even the media. As we peeled back the layers of deception, we realized that The Shadow's ultimate goal was not just to control us but to plunge the world into chaos. They sought power and dominance, and we stood in their way.

Without looking back, I vanished into the snow. Andrew stood in the snow, staring in the direction I had gone. His hoarse voice drifted through the wind. "You won't abandon me, Eleanor." A month later, at a bar in Glaciercrest Pack, I sat by the window, sipping coffee as I admired the snowy landscape outside. The murmurs of travelers around me reached my ears. "Did you hear? Darkmoon Pack’s strongest warrior confessed to murdering his ex-father-in-law and was sentenced today." My fingers froze around my coffee cup.

My heart felt like it was about to stop, and my whole body was shaking in fear. I begged Nolan to stop, but he only leaned close and coaxed me softly, "It's our wedding night. Try something new with me, okay?" I had told him before that I was terrified of the dark and of being tied up. Years ago, Irene had hired a group of men to kidnap me and lock me inside an abandoned warehouse for three whole days after I scored higher than Irene on my college entrance exams. Nolan knew all of that. He knew every scar she left behind, yet he still followed Irene's instructions and humiliated me in the cruelest way possible on our wedding night.

“I see, you still had an obsidian shadow.” Sure enough, Kleint did have an obsidian-black shadow. It was covering his body, flexing in his outline. The way it stretched was just beyond normal, considering that it even covered up his neck, forming a specialized polo coat with buttons in the middle, and a cape so extreme that it had spikes in it. “You’re being humble, Luis. We all know that all legends possess such a shadow.” Coughing a little, Marjorie—with the help of Granny—tried to sit, exhaling rather heavily. “W-What’s the thing—what’s the thing about these shadows—obsidian whatnot?”

My breath came in sharp, shallow bursts as I stared at Marcus's lifeless body, the pool of blood around him spreading like ink on a parchment. I hadn't done this. I couldn’t have done this. Could I? A jolt of panic coursed through me, snapping me out of my frozen state. I backed away, my gaze darting around the room. The shadows on the walls seemed alive, coming closer to me. I needed to think, to move, but my legs felt like lead.

Chandler's phone smashed against the floor with a loud crash. He stared blankly ahead, then stiffly turned to look at Pauline. He seemed to be slowly processing what he had heard. Meanwhile, Pauline appeared oblivious. “What’s wrong? Who called?” she asked gently. “Why do you look so pale, Chandler? What happened?” “...It’s a lie,” Chandler whispered. “It has to be a lie!” He leaped to his feet and rushed toward the hospital exit without a second thought.

“So I’m your shadow now?” Damian stepped closer, eyes sharp. “You’re under my protection. There’s a difference.” The room seemed to shrink, his presence pressing in, heavy and undeniable. For one terrifying, intoxicating moment, Amara wondered if the danger wasn’t outside at all - but standing right in front of her. The man cleared his throat. “There’s more.” He tapped the folder again and slid another photograph across the table. Amara’s blood ran cold. It wasn’t her. It wasn’t Damian.