I didn’t plan to tell him that night. But silence had grown heavy, like a dam ready to break, and when I looked at Darius across the firelight, I knew.
He noticed. "You’re too quiet."
I sipped from the wooden cup in my hand, barely tasting the tea. "There’s sothing I need to say."
His brow furrowed. He leaned in, concern already rising. "What is it?"
I set the cup down, hands trembling. "The dreams I’ve been having... they’re not just dreams."
His eyes narrowed. "Luciana..."
"They’re visions," I interrupted gently. "Warnings. And a prophecy."
I told him everything.
The cursed land. The ancient wizard. The darkness swallowing Silverglen. The voice—old and commanding—that called to night after night. The Vale of Ancients. The command to go alone. The ti limit. Twenty-one days.
When I finished, the room was silent except for the crackling fire.
He stared at . "You’ve known all this... and didn’t tell ?"
I nodded slowly. "I wanted to. I was going to. But how do you tell soone you love that you might have to leave them behind?"
His jaw tightened. "You don’t. Because you don’t do it. You stay."
I shook my head. "Darius—"
"No," he said, standing up so fast the chair scraped the floor. "You’re not going."
I stood too. "I have to. The land—"
"Screw the land!" His voice rang through the house like thunder. "Screw prophecy and dreams and whatever ancient whisper got into your head. I’m not losing you. Erya’s not losing you."
I flinched. "It’s not about losing . It’s about saving all of us."
His chest heaved. "Then we leave. Now. We take Erya and the others and get as far from this cursed place as we can. We find sowhere safe."
"There is no safe place," I said, voice trembling but firm. "It follows us. The curse isn’t bound to the soil—it’s bound to **."
He froze. "What are you talking about?"
"I saw it," I said. "In the vision. If I don’t go, *I’m* the reason it spreads. It starts here, yes—but it ends with everyone I love dying. Erya. You. Mayla. Even those who didn’t follow us."
"No," he said, voice low now, almost broken. "You’re not cursed."
"I didn’t say I was cursed. I said the prophecy chose ." I stepped closer. "And I *know* it did. The whispers, the way the forest responds to , the spirits, the trials—everything is pointing to . I can’t ignore it anymore."
His hands clenched into fists. "You said the Vale is dangerous. That it tests you. Breaks you."
I nodded. "Yes."
"And you’re going alone?"
"Yes."
He turned away, dragging his hands through his hair. "You’re asking to just... stay here? Sit with Erya and *wait* while you throw yourself into so ancient death trap based on a dream?"
"I’m not asking you to be okay with it," I said quietly. "I’m asking you to let do what I was born to do."
He spun to face . "No. I didn’t bring you here to watch you walk away. We left Thornridge to build a life. To escape the ss of prophecy and politics and cursed bloodlines. We were supposed to start *over*."
"I know," I whispered. "But the past followed us."
He let out a long, ragged breath, then stord out of the house.
I didn’t follow. I couldn’t.
Not yet.
---
He ca back near midnight. The door creaked open slowly, and I looked up from where I sat near the hearth.
"I needed air," he muttered.
I nodded.
He sat across from , elbows on his knees. "How long?"
"A few days."
Silence.
"Do you know what’ll happen there?"
I shook my head. "Only that I must endure it. If I succeed, I’ll return stronger. Wiser. Able to protect this land."
"And if you fail?"
I swallowed. "Then the curse wins."
He rubbed his eyes. "I’m not built for this. I’m not like you."
"You’re strong," I said. "But this path was never ant to be yours."
He looked at , eyes wet. "That’s the part I hate the most. That no matter what I say, you’ve already made up your mind."
I nodded.
"You didn’t even ask to co."
"I can’t," I said. "The prophecy was clear. I must go alone."
He stood and walked to the window, staring out at the night.
"I won’t stop you," he said finally. "But don’t ask to be okay with it."
"I won’t."
He turned to . "Just promise one thing."
"What?"
"If you sense you can’t win—if the Vale starts breaking you—co back. Even if the curse cos with you. We’ll face it together."
I stood and walked to him. "You know I can’t promise that."
"Lie to , then," he whispered. "Please."
I pressed my forehead to his. "I’ll co back."
It wasn’t a lie. It was a vow.
But deep down, we both knew that so vows were made with blood, not breath.
---
The next morning, we didn’t speak much. Darius went about the chores, quiet and stiff. Erya sensed the tension and clung to my side more than usual.
At midday, I sat with Mayla by the garden. She looked at , eyes filled with knowing.
"You told him."
I nodded.
"And?"
"We fought. Then he let go."
She touched my hand. "He’ll follow if you don’t return. You know that, right?"
I looked away. "I know."
"Do you want to keep watch while you’re gone?"
I smiled weakly. "Yes. Please."
She squeezed my hand. "I will."
---
That evening, I found Darius by the river. He stood there, arms crossed, watching the water flow.
"I’m leaving tomorrow," I said.
He nodded.
We stood in silence for a long ti.
Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pendant—silver, shaped like a crescent moon, strung on a leather cord.
"It was my mother’s," he said. "She gave it to before she died. Said it always pointed true when the stars failed."
He looped it over my head. "You’ll need it more than ."
Tears stung my eyes. "Thank you."
He pulled into his arms, and for a long ti, we didn’t move.
We didn’t speak.
Just held on.
And when the sun dipped behind the trees, casting long shadows across the land, I finally stepped back.
He didn’t say goodbye.
Neither did I.
---
That night, I packed. Light but prepared. The forest would provide most of what I needed, but I brought tokens—Erya’s drawing, Darius’s pendant, and a bundle of dried herbs from Mayla.
I didn’t sleep.
Instead, I lay beside Darius, watching him, morizing him.
When the sky turned gray with morning, I kissed his cheek and slipped from the bed.
Erya stirred in her cradle. I knelt beside her, brushed a curl from her forehead, and whispered, "I’ll be back."
She smiled in her sleep.
And with that, I walked out the door, into the mist, toward the Vale of Ancients.
Alone.
But with the weight of a hundred souls on my shoulders.
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