The silver moon's curse

's

grew thicker, curling around the iron gates like smoke from a dying fire. My cab driver who had bee

peering through the windshield. "Feels

photographs tucked inside my mother's jewelry box dusty black-and-white images with frayed edges, a

nt of it, it felt... la

ed, gripping the st

e already knew I'd arrived. As I made my way up the gravel path, the fog swirled at my an

e walls, and moss crawled up the pillars like green lace. The windows were tall and narrow, most

ust shadow

front doo

am

-length charcoal dress, her white hair coiled into a tight bun. Her eyes, howev

" she

cold, and impossible to ignore. I swallowed th

s," I sai

to hug me. I did

stead. "It's not safe to l

the look in her eyes made it clear some quest

ms carved with symbols I didn't recognize. A massive chandelier dripped with crystal teardrops, its light dim and flicke

me, her steps echoing, "has been in our family for

if I'd misheard her.

mine. "It will test you. And if it

er. I stood there, clutching my bag, unsure

he hallway, and I had

dark eyes, each one staring directly at me. One painting, of a woman in a

was

ms said, not looking back.

ka

t and right like a maze. Grams led me to a

our room," she

oster bed, lace curtains, and an antique vanity. The window overlooked the backyard, where trees loomed like silent guard

said. "We do not tolerate lateness

I said.

t tonight, remember these three: One, never go into the east wing. Two, never open your window aft

"Why would the h

She simply closed t

e chill in my bones. It wasn't just the weather it was the feeling o

soft, velvet, but warm. The candle flickered on

dow was

s is fine. Normal. Old houses creak

hat she'd left Langley Manor at eighteen and never looked back. And now, after her and Dad's accident

retched down the center, though only two places were set: mine and Grams'. Candlelight cast dancing shado

me from acro

room su

"It's be

ooses the room it thinks you'll n

does a house c

more than stone and wood, it's memory. Spirit. The land feeds it. Prote

you're saying the hous

slice of bread with a silver knife.

e my plate. "That's.

ll smile. "You'll

ned halfway down, its flame steady. Outside, the wind howled through the trees. Somewhere down the

"Grams?"

ans

tsteps

he door, pressing my ear

I wasn't sure I hea

nearly

d. The candle flickered violently now, casting

ttered, backing a

me down

ost gentle. Feminine. B

nked the covers up to my ch

not

ugh the curtains. Birds chirped. The air wa

ents sitting heavily in my chest. Grams were already

't you?" she said w

. "The

ays tries the first nigh

hat happens if

and dropped it into her basket.

the warning in her st

et cord, the kind you see in museums. Dust coated the floor, but I could tell something had

cross t

t

ouse had

eling it would