Page 62 of Dark Bonds

Despite my reservations, I find myself closing my eyes and reaching out with senses I don’t fully understand. The darkness seems to pulse around me, alive and waiting.

“That’s it,” Blackwood murmurs. “Now, imagine stepping through. The shadow realm is just beyond your reach.”

I try to visualize it, to feel for that otherworldly plane. For a moment, I think I sense something, a flicker of another reality just out of grasp, but then… nothing.

Frustration and shame wash over me as I open my eyes. “I can’t do it,” I admit, deflated, but a part of me is relieved that I didn’t give Blackwood what he wanted.

Blackwood’s disappointment is palpable, tinged with a hint of anger. “Perhaps you need more… incentive,” he says, his tone sending a chill down my spine. “Your continued enrollment at this university depends on your ability to access your classes, Frankie. Surely that’s motivation enough? Or perhaps the loss of your scholarship?”

Panic claws at my throat, but I force it down. “You can’t just kick me out!” I protest, my voice rising. “That’s not fair!”

“Life rarely is,” Blackwood replies coldly. “The question is, what are you willing to do about it?”

Suddenly, the shadows in the room seem to thicken, responding to my surging emotions. I feel a familiar tingle in my fingertips, a buildup of energy I can’t control.

The shadows in the room deepen, growing from the corners and pulsing outward.

“Professor,” Dorian warns, taking a step forward, his eyes darting between Blackwood and me. “I think that’s enough for today. Pushing too hard could be counterproductive.”

Blackwood ignores him, his eyes fixed on me with a hungry expression. “Show me, Frankie. Show me what you’re truly capable of.”

The pressure builds, the shadows writhing around me. I feel like I’m about to explode, torn between fear and an overwhelming urge to prove myself.

Then, without warning, it happens.

The shadows coalesce around me in a swirling vortex. For a split second, I see another world superimposed over Blackwood’s office—a realm of shifting darkness and ethereal beauty.

As quickly as it appeared, the vision vanishes, and the shadows recede, leaving me gasping and trembling in my chair.

Blackwood’s triumphant smile sends a chill through me. “Well, well,” he says softly, his voice laden with dark satisfaction. “It seems you have potential after all, Frankie.”

As the realization of what just happened sinks in, I can’t shake the feeling that I just gave Blackwood exactly what he wanted, and somehow, that terrifies me more than anything else.

I sit in my chair, my breath coming in short gasps. The room feels too small, too confining. Blackwood’s triumphant smile hasn’t wavered, and I feel Dorian’s intense gaze on me.

“Fascinating,” Blackwood murmurs, circling me like a predator. “You’ve barely scratched the surface of your potential, Frankie. With the right guidance, who knows what you could achieve?”

His words should be encouraging, but they send a chill down my spine. There’s a hint of something dangerous in his tone. I force myself to meet his gaze, determined not to show weakness.

“I think that’s enough for today,” Dorian interjects, his voice tight with tension. He moves closer, placing himself between Blackwood and me. “Frankie needs rest after such an intense manifestation. We wouldn’t want to risk overexertion, would we, Professor?”

Blackwood’s eyes narrow slightly at Dorian’s interference, but his smile remains in place. “Of course, of course. We wouldn’t want to overtax our star pupil, would we?” He turns back to me, his gaze penetrating. “Frankie, I expect you to practice accessing the shadow realm daily. Our next meeting will be… illuminating.”

I nod numbly, not trusting myself to speak. As I stand on shaky legs, Dorian reaches out to steady me, his touch sending a jolt through my system.

“I’ll walk her out,” Dorian tells Blackwood, his tone leaving no room for argument.

As we leave the office, I feel Blackwood’s gaze burning into my back. The moment the door closes behind us, I let out a shuddering breath.

“Are you alright?” Dorian asks softly, his hand still on my arm.

I shake my head, trying to clear the fog from my mind. “I… I don’t know. What just happened in there?”

Dorian’s expression is grim, a stark contrast to his earlier charm. “It’s like you merged the realms, but that’s impossible, Frankie. Either way, it’s something Blackwood has been waiting to see.”

“But why?” I ask, frustration and fear battling inside me. “Why is he so interested in my abilities?”

Dorian glances back at the closed office door, his jaw tight. “I’m not sure,” he admits, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “But I think it’s time we found out. This goes beyond simple academic interest. Blackwood’s playing a dangerous game, and you’re at the center of it.”

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