Whispers Beneath the Veil

resence was constantly lurking in the back of her mind-his words, his touch, everything about him left her unsettled in a way that both terrified and intrigued her. The power i

vague assurances that it would all make sense soon. But she wasn't convinced. Nothing felt like it made se

. The walls were adorned with ancient tapestries depicting scenes she couldn't quite make out-runes that she didn't understand, b

e stepped into the room. His posture was relaxed, but there was an intensity about him that made Ava's sto

ce more uncertain than she

, she saw something flicker in his gaze-something dark, something anc

't put it off any longer. She made her way to the table and sat down, keeping her hands clasped tightly i

efore speaking, his voice low and meas

d. "What do you mean

at book, the magic that now courses through you-it changes everything. You've been

pped a beat. "C

the calm, collected leader she had come to know. There was something darker lurking be

his: The mark on your wrist, the one you call a curse, is a key. It unlocks something far greater th

e quickening. "What kind of

f. Your abilities are linked to an ancient order, one that has been dormant for centuries. The powers that lie dormant within you can change the fate of ever

d for a moment, the room seemed to spin. She wasn't just a student of magi

ispered. "Why di

're bound to this power, Ava. The mark isn't just a symbol-it's part of who you are,

er, the strange energy pulsing beneath her skin. A new thought occurred to her-had her life ever really b

me?" she asked, her voic

uch I can do. The powers that seek you out are ancient

to understand why she was chosen, why the book had come to her-but the words wouldn't come. The uncertainty t

e said, though it didn't feel

u're not alone in this. I'll be here. But you need to

e questions than answers. The weight of the truth had settled on

her life had just become i