Page 55 of The Fractured Veil

Zarek glanced back at me, his eyes flicking between the glow of my shield and the shadows he controlled. “You’re full of surprises,” he muttered, though there was a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

Then, out of the darkness, Damon appeared. His form seemed to materialize from the shadows themselves, his striking blue eyes cold and deadly as they fixed on the gaunt man cowering before us. A low growl rumbled in Damon's chest, a sound that vibrated with barely restrained power. Shadows swirled around him—dark and restless—like living extensions of his fury, licking at the edges of the alley like hungry flames.

"Damon," I breathed, a mixture of relief and unease flooding through me.

The gaunt man paused, his sunken eyes narrowing as Damon stepped forward. His figure was no longer languid and predatory but cautious. The other watchers stopped too, their eerie movements faltering under the weight of Damon’s dark power. The alley itself seemed to shift, the air thickening as the shadows around Damon coiled and writhed like they were alive, feeding off his anger.

"Leave," Damon said, his voice a low, dangerous growl. The command echoed through the narrow alley, rippling through the thick air like the crack of thunder.

The gaunt man faltered for the first time, his gaze flicking nervously between Damon, Zarek, and the glowing shield that pulsed between us all. His thin lips curled into a slow, sinister smile, and my heart sank as his words slipped through the oppressive silence.

"You can’t protect her forever, demon." His voice was quiet—a hollow whisper that seemed to resonate inside my mind. “Her time is running out.”

Damon’s expression darkened, and the shadows around him thickened, almost becoming solid.

The man’s empty eyes flicked to me, his gaze piercing through the shield I had created as if he could see right into my soul. “This is just the beginning,” he whispered, his voice carrying a chilling finality. “Arethax is closer than you think, Thalia. You’re out of time.”

The words hit me like a physical blow, the nameArethaxreverberating in my mind, cold and ominous. I didn’t know what it meant, but I felt the weight of it—felt the darkness that came with the name. My hands trembled, the power I’d released still humming through me, but fear knotted in my stomach.

Zarek’s shadows lashed out again, more violently this time, aiming to strike the gaunt man. But before they could connect, the watchers vanished. One by one, they disappeared into thin air, dissolving into the darkness like they had never been there at all.

The oppressive weight in the air lifted, but the fear remained. I couldn’t shake the man’s words, couldn’t ignore the cold certainty in his gaze when he’d saidArethaxwas close.

Damon stepped closer, his dark blue eyes scanning the empty alley. “Cowards,” he muttered, his voice sharp.

The silence that followed was deafening. The weight in the air had lifted, but I could still feel the echoes of the disturbance. My light flickered, then slowly began to fade, merging back into the shadows until only the faintest trace of it remained. Zarek’s shadows withdrew, though they lingered protectively, as if waiting for the next threat to emerge.

“Who is Arethax?” I finally asked, still trying to process what the hell just happened. A strange pressure settled over my chest, making it hard to breathe. The alley—moments ago filled with an unnatural chill that prickled my skin—now felt strangely empty, as though whatever malevolent presence had lingered there had simply vanished, leaving a void in its wake. I glanced at Damon and Zarek, searching their faces for answers.

Zarek’s jaw was tight, his amber eyes narrowed as he scanned the alley. He didn’t answer, but his silence spoke volumes. Whatever Arethax was, it wasn’t good.

Damon, however, met my gaze head-on, his expression unreadable—a mask of cool indifference that did nothing to ease my growing unease. “It’s the reason we’re in danger,” he said, his voice low and gravelly.

“Danger?” I echoed, the word catching in my throat. I’d known, on some level, that something wasn't right. But hearing Damon say it so bluntly, so matter-of-factly, sent a shiver down my spine.

“It’s a… a force of darkness from another realm,” Zarek finally said, his voice hesitant, as if he were choosing his words carefully, each syllable measured and deliberate. “An ancient being who wants to… unbalance our world. To tip the scales.” His gaze flickered to me.

“Tip the scales?” I repeated, trying to make sense of his words. “What does that even mean?” My mind raced, trying to grasp the implications of his cryptic statement.

Damon let out a harsh laugh, the sound devoid of humor—a bitter, almost cynical edge to it. “It means Arethax wants to destroy everything,” he said, his eyes glinting with a cold, hard anger. "It wants to plunge Nexara and all other realms into eternal darkness.”

“And what does that have to do with me?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. The pressure in my chest intensified, a cold dread settling in my stomach. Why were they telling me thisnow? Why did these watchers—whoever they were—seem to know me? To want me? And what had I done to attract the attention of such a destructive force?

Damon’s gaze intensified, his blue eyes boring into mine, as if searching for answers I didn't possess. “We don’t know yet,” he admitted, "Still can't figure out why you are the center of its attention." He looked away then, his gaze sweeping across the empty alley, as if searching for a clue—a missing piece of the puzzle that would explain this terrifying connection between me and this ancient being.

“Where’s Nox?” I asked, my voice sharp as panic creeped into my chest.

“He’s on his way to the house,” Zarek replied, his tone calm and patient.

Damon turned toward me, his expression unreadable as always. “I’ll take her back,” he said, his voice steady, but carrying a weight I couldn’t quite place.

Damon stepped closer, his presence almost suffocating in its intensity. The weight of his gaze was enough to pull me from the panic bubbling inside, but it didn’t ease the tension gripping my chest. Without a word, he extended his hand toward me, his dark blue eyes locking onto mine. The shadows around him stirred like restless tendrils, ready to move the moment I accepted his offer.

I hesitated, my pulse quickening as I glanced at Zarek, who gave me a small nod, his expression softening with reassurance. But there was something about him—his shadows were alive, and I could feel them reaching out to me, pulling me into his orbit.

“We’ll be quick,” Damon said, his voice low, but there was an undeniable edge to it.

Reluctantly, I placed my hand in his. The moment our skin touched, the world around us shifted. His shadows curled around us like a blanket, cold and weightless, yet somehow suffocating. The light from the town, the distant sounds of holiday music and laughter—it all disappeared, swallowed by the darkness. The alley, the town square—everything vanished as the shadows surged up, pulling us into their embrace.

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