The Whispering Key

scent of lavender, and the ink, though faded, was perfectly legible. Most of the entries were munda

the tone

ess. The key is the only way to keep them

m twice. Spirits? Bound? It sounded absu

ed to ano

e wrong hands find the key, it will not

sitting on the table beside her. The ornate swirls on its handle seem

She shut the diary and sto

, dabbling in palm readings and séances when Lila was little. It was harmless, the

house, the weight of thos

eturned, faint

nsta

low and unfamiliar, as though it came fro

e key was in her hand, its cool surface grounding her

eached the bottom, she was greeted by the sight of a damp, stone-walled cellar. Shelves lined

in the far wall, almost invi

over the surface. The outline of a door took shape unde

he slid the key into t

k, the hidden do

ied herbs lined the walls, while the center was dominated by a circular table covered in a faded black c

d in a perfect circle around the table, and the

is wasn't just a hidden ro

graphs on the table. She picked one u

ble. Around her were several people, their faces contorted in fear. In the background, s

he photo, her

pers gre

" the voice said,

es flared