THE THREAD OF SHADOWS

s, her voice faint but filled with sorrow. "It's too late," Lena repeated, her voice echoing in the hollow chamber. "No," Sienna whispered, shaking her head. She fought against the cr

arionette being manipulated by invisible hands. "You don't understand!" Lena's voice was desperate now, her hollow eyes locking onto Sienna's. "He's using you. He's been using both of us." Sienna's blood ran cold. "What are you talking about?" Lena's voice trembled. "The Thread... it's not just a force. It's not just magic. It's alive. It feeds on us-on our memories, our fears, our pain. The cult thought they could control it, but it controls them. And Lucien... Lucien's part of it." Sienna's heart pounded in her chest. She looked at Lucien, her mind spinning. His face was a mask of calm, but there was something dark in his eyes-something unreadable. "She's lying," Lucien said coldly, his voice low and controlled. "The Thread has twisted her mind. You can't trust anything she says." But doubt crept into Sienna's mind, a cold sliver of uncertainty that gnawed at her. Was Lena telling the truth? Or was this just another manipulation by the Thread? She glanced between them, the weight of the knife heavy in her hand. The shadows swirled around her, tightening their grip as if they could sense her hesitation. She had to make a decision-and fast. "Lena," Sienna called out, her voice sharp with urgency. "Tell me the truth. What do you mean? What's Lucien's connection to the Thread?" Lena's breath hitched, and she took another shaky step forward. "He's not just part of the cult, Sienna. He's their leader. He's been pulling the strings all along." Sienna's heart stopped. *Lucien?* Leading the cult? Her eyes shot back to him, but this time his expression had changed. His face, once cold and calculating, now twisted into something far more dangerous. The façade he had worn for so long cracked, and beneath it, Sienna saw the truth. Lucien wasn't here to help her. He was here to finish what the cult had started. "It's true, isn't it?" Sienna whispered, her voice trembling with fury. "You've been lying to me from the start." Lucien's smile was cold, almost mocking. "You're smarter than I gave you credit for. But yes, it's true. I brought you here for a reason. The Thread needs a new vessel-someone strong enough to hold it, to control it. And you, Sienna... you're perfect." The weight of his words crashed over her like a wave. All this time, he had been playing her-manipulating her, guiding her closer to the Thread, all for his own twisted purposes. "You bastard," Sienna hissed, her grip tightening on the knife. "You used Lena. You used me." Lucien's smile widened, a glint of triumph in his eyes. "The Thread demands sacrifice, Sienna. It needs someone strong