Chapter 8

Chapter Eight 

Rachel's POV

The heavy feeling of Harry's confession remained in my mind, even after I had closed the door behind him. Somehow, I felt an emptiness within my stomach, as if he'd taken a piece of me with him. His honesty had come right out of the blue, after such a huge day. I had so many questions, yet had absolutely no idea where to begin in finding the answers.

I wandered back into the darkened living room, skimming my fingers over an old photo frame on the mantle-my parents. Their faces, frozen in a faded smile, seemed a distant echo of a life I no longer knew. The ritual, Harry's words, the power…all so rapidly changing.

Night wore on and my exhaustion tugged at me. I barely made it to my bedroom before collapsing onto the bed, my mind foggy with remnants of my day. The picture of the old man's wrinkled face, his warning cryptic, wouldn't leave my head: "To gain power, you must let go of something precious."

What had I lost? Or worse-what was I going to lose?

---

I woke in the strangest haze, and my room bathed in this peculiar silver glow. For a split second, I thought it was morning until, sitting upwards, I came awake to an epiphany that something was, in fact, wrong. I wasn't in my bed. The crumbling walls around me, thick with dust and age-anything but warm or familiar.

My heart was pounding as I swung my legs off the edge of what felt like a stone slab. This wasn't my room. The space opened to me in eerie silence, the cold stone beneath me sending chills up into my very bones. Shadows danced in the corners of the room, and there was a light flickering on the other side.

Just as I was about to get to my feet, a familiar voice cut through the quiet.

"Rachel."

I spun around, heart racing. It was the old man—the one who'd taken me through the ritual. He stood at the edge of the room, halfshrouded in darkness, his eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made my skin prickle.

"Where am I?" I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

"You are in a place that exists between worlds," he said, his voice as ancient as the stones surrounding us. "A realm of power and shadows. I told you that power comes with a price, and now you must pay it."

I swallowed hard. "What do you mean? What am I supposed to lose?"

He approached me slowly, not backing down. "The power you now have-it will protect you, but it will also test you. To possess it, you must loose a part of your soul to it. Something beautiful will have to be sacrificed in its name."

I felt a chill settle over me. "What…what does that mean?"

"It means you must let go of the one thing that anchors you to this world," he said softly. "Something that holds your heart, your strength…your love."

Instantly, I was taken to Harry's face, his laughter, his quiet confidence. And I knew then. If I kept this power, if I held onto it, I would have to let go of him.

"No," I whispered, my voice shaking. "There must be another way."

The old man slowly shook his head. "This path is not yielding, Rachel. Choose wisely, for once you decide, there is no turning back."

I stepped backward, heart racing as my mind searched for a solution, anything to avoid this choice. But the gaze of the old man was unflinching. The weight of his words was absolute.

Choose," he whispered, his voice an echo that is slowly fading in the night.

---

I woke up gasping, sheets tangled around me. Sweat was plastered on my skin; my room was quiet once more, except for my racing heartbeat. The dream-or whatever that had been-seemed way too real. I sat up in bed, clutching my head as if trying to make much sense of it. This power I took on came with a cost. A cost, quite frankly, I wasn't sure I would be willing to pay.

The knock at my door startled me, and I scrambled out of bed, pulling my robe around me. Harry was on the other side of the door, looking equally tired as I did. His face looked a mess of concern and relief.

"Rachel…are you okay?" he asked in a low, cautious tone.

I nodded, swallowing back the lump that had formed in my throat. "Yeah, just…a weird night."

He looked at me, concern etched on his face, and without another word, he stepped forward, pulling me into a tight hug. I melted in his arms, the warmth of his presence steadying me.

But as he embraced me, his arms wrapped tightly around me, the words of the old man would not leave my head. Let go of something precious…

Harry," I whispered, my voice muffled against his shoulder. "What if something happens…to us?"

 

He pulled back, his eyes searching mine. "What do you mean?"

 

I faltered, the words catching in my throat. "I…don't know. I just feel like everything's changing. I'm changing."

 

Harry reached up, cupping my face gently. "Rachel, no matter what happens, I'm here for you. You don't have to go through this alone.

The sincerity in his eyes almost broke me. But by now, I realised that keeping him close might come with a price I wasn't prepared to pay. I needed to protect him, even if it meant pushing him away.

Forcedly, I smiled. "Thanks, Harry. Really." I took one shaky breath and marshalled the strength to do what I knew I needed to. "But… I think we need some distance.

He looked taken aback, and a flash of hurt crossed his face. "Distance? Rachel, after everything-"

"It's just… it's for the best." My voice was shaking, but I struggled to steady myself. "I need time to figure things out. And I don't want you to get hurt."

Harry's jaw clenched, and he retreated a step, his face clouded with confusion and betrayal. "If this is what you want.then fine. But I thought we were in it together."

It was more hurtful than I had anticipated, and it took all my will not to reach out for him. "I'm sorry, Harry. I just.need to be alone.

He finally turned and walked away, the echoing of his footsteps down the hall. And I just stood there, feeling this hollow grow inside me-the chasm that would never be.