Chapter 35

The moon was high in the sky when we decided to leave. We stepped out into the embrace of the Quarter, the air feeling cleaner, more alive than it had inside the bookstore. The streets shimmered with moonlight, the storefront lights cast ing a glow that seemed almost to whisper of the magic that lay beneath the city's surface.

"This way," Lila said, her voice a whisper as she tugged me down a narrow alley. My heart raced as we approached a hidden door, the scent of the bayou growing stronger.

The door opened with a creak, revealing a staircase that descended into darkness. The air grew colder, the smell of earth and moss almost overwhelming. The place was not just a rumor; it was a reality waiting to be explored.

As we descended into the depths, the whispers grew louder, the anticipation of the night's events echoing around us. The stairs led to a dimly lit chamber, the walls lined with velvet curtains. The space was filled with a mix of human and supernatural beings, their eyes glint