*******Harper
I stood frozen, Zareth's words echoing in my mind like a drumbeat I couldn't quiet. Why would Kael lie to me? He had been my protector since the moment I arrived in this realm, my savior in countless battles. And yet Zareth's voice carried no hesitation, no jest. It was firm, steady, like the ring of truth.
But truth felt like a stranger in this castle.
My hand clutched the spellbook so tightly that my knuckles turned white. I turned toward Ellis, confusion and anger pulling at me all at once.
Ellis stepped forward, her long shadow trailing across the floor like it had a life of its own. "If I wanted to kill you," she said softly, almost mockingly, "do you not think I would have done it from the very beginning?"
I swallowed hard. "Or maybe you can't kill me," I shot back, my voice sharper than I intended. "Because of Kael."
Ellis's lips curled into a knowing smile, one that chilled me more than if she had drawn a blade. Slowly, she raised her hand, fingers curling like talons in the air.
Instantly, a crushing pressure wrapped around my throat. My eyes widened in horror as my breath caught, a violent choke ripping through me. My dagger was just out of reach. I clawed at my neck, but there was nothing there—only invisible force, tightening, draining me. I could feel it, as if the very essence of my soul was being siphoned away. My knees buckled, vision blurring.
And then—just as suddenly—it stopped.
I collapsed to the floor, gasping, clutching my chest as air rushed back into my lungs in desperate gulps. My body shook, sweat slick against my skin.
Ellis knelt gracefully, tilting her head as if I were nothing more than a trembling child. "See?" she whispered, her voice carrying an unsettling tenderness. "Killing you is very easy. But I am not here for that."
I could only stare at her, chest heaving.
Zareth, who had remained silent until now, folded his arms. His crimson eyes studied me with unnerving calm. "I don't know why Kael lies to you," he said, his voice deep, unyielding. "But sooner or later, Harper, the truth will come. Lies are delicate things—they always unravel."
He took a step forward, towering over me, though his gaze wasn't cruel—it was piercing. "It was nice to finally see you," he murmured, and then his tone shifted, more deliberate. "And I have a gift for you."
My breath hitched as he gestured for me to raise my hands. Against my instincts, I obeyed.
The moment his palm hovered above mine, a surge of energy shot into me like a stream of lightning finding a vessel. My entire body tensed. My veins thrummed, my heartbeat thundered in my ears, and something—something foreign—settled deep inside me.
"What… what did you do?" I whispered hoarsely, trembling.
Zareth's lips quirked into something between a smile and a smirk. "Whenever you need me," he said calmly, "I will be there."
And before I could ask anything more, his form shimmered and dissolved into the air, leaving only the faint hum of power lingering in the room.
The silence pressed in around me.
Ellis, still there, glanced at the spellbook in my hands. Her sharp eyes narrowed. "Were you planning to burn that?"
I stiffened, guilt pricking my chest. "N-no," I lied quickly, hugging the book against me.
For once, Ellis didn't press. She only let out a small, almost knowing sigh. Then her tone hardened again, her words cutting into the quiet like a blade. "I should finish the story for you."
I hesitated but nodded.
Ellis's eyes seemed to glow faintly as she spoke, her voice weaving history into the air. "After Seraphina destroyed Ravenna's wedding spell, the sisters parted ways. They each gathered followers—Ravenna forming what became the Raven Clan, and Seraphina forming her own. From then on, the two never reconciled."
I leaned forward despite myself, drawn in.
"The demons still wanted Ravenna dead," Ellis continued, "and in their hunt, they slaughtered countless innocent witches. Witches who had nothing to do with Ravenna's greed. Families were torn apart, children executed alongside their mothers. All because one woman had been ambitious."
My stomach twisted. "That's… horrible," I whispered.
Ellis's face was unreadable. "Horrible, yes. But it was only the beginning. Ravenna and Seraphina lived separately, their hatred festering. Even after they bore children of their own, they never thought of ending their feud. Blood ties meant nothing. Only their grudges remained."
I listened, my hands trembling slightly as I clutched the book tighter.
"Eventually, the demon lord—the one who had once desired Ravenna—heard whispers that she had moved on with her life. He could not stand it. His pride was wounded. His love curdled into rage. So he summoned Seraphina."
Ellis's eyes darkened, her tone sharp with disdain. "He manipulated her. Promised her power, whispered that Ravenna was plotting again. Seraphina, blinded by envy and bitterness, believed him. She invited Ravenna to a meeting under the guise of peace. Ravenna trusted her, and for that, she paid with her life."
I covered my mouth, shocked.
"But it did not end there," Ellis said coldly. "When Seraphina went to the demon lord to boast of what she had done, he killed her too. The two sisters, once inseparable twins, died on the very same day."
I couldn't breathe for a moment.
"And ever since," Ellis concluded, "the witches and demons have despised one another. The demon lord—his name long erased by shame—commanded that Ravenna's dance be remembered. They called it the Dance of Blood. Their own twisted version, performed in red, performed as tribute to a woman they hated and yet could never forget."
Ellis's gaze locked on mine, burning. "But the witches remember it differently. They keep to the true form—the Dance of Shadows. Ravenna's black dress, her veil, the crown she wore that night… these relics have been passed down through the Raven Clan."
I exhaled shakily. "So the demons and witches remember the same dance… but differently."
"Yes." Ellis's voice softened slightly. "And that difference has fueled centuries of bloodshed."
The room felt heavier, colder. I stared at her, my voice weak. "Why are you telling me all this? Why are you even here?"
For the first time, something flickered across Ellis's face—something I couldn't quite name. "Because you'll find out soon enough," she said cryptically.
With a flick of her wrist, shimmering black cloth materialized in her hands. A dress. A veil. A crown, heavy and gleaming with old, eerie power.
I froze.
"These," Ellis said, stepping closer, "are the very things Ravenna once wore. They have been passed down through my clan. Through me. You will wear them, Harper. Not Kael's red dress. Not the demons' lie. But this."
My hands trembled as she placed them into my arms. The weight of the garments was suffocating. History itself pressed against my skin. "I… I'll keep them safe," I whispered.
Ellis's eyes softened, just for a moment. "Good."
I hesitated, then asked in a quiet voice, "Ellis… are you from the Raven Clan?"
Her lips curved into the faintest smile. "Yes."
She turned toward the shadows, already fading into them. "Keep practicing the dance. Memorize the spellbook. And don't waste your time searching for the truth." Her voice lowered, almost a whisper. "Because the truth will come for you soon."
And then she was gone, leaving me alone with the black dress, the veil, the crown, and a storm of questions I wasn't sure I wanted answered.