The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor filled the silent hospital room, its steady pulse marking the fragile line between life and death.Lucas sat in the chair beside the bed, his elbow propped on the armrest, fingers pressed against his temple. His eyes were bloodshot, a mixture of exhaustion and frustration clouding his face.It had been days.Days of sitting in this hospital room, waiting.Waiting for something—a sign, a movement, anything to prove that Damion Blackwood was still in there, still fighting.And then—A sharp gasp shattered the silence.Lucas’s head snapped up.The body that had been lying still for so long suddenly tensed, Damion’s chest rising in a shaky breath. His fingers twitched, the muscles in his arms flexing weakly as if testing their strength.Then, with a slow, agonizing effort, his eyelids fluttered open.Lucas shot up from his chair.“Damion?”Damion’s eyes were unfocused, disoriented, as if the world around him wasn’t quite real. His breathing was un
The night was thick with tension, the air cold and damp as Adrian Blackwood walked through the darkened woods, his steps firm and unyielding. The rustling of leaves under his shoes was the only sound, apart from the faint, ragged breathing of the old woman beside him.Catherine Blackwood—his grandmother.The woman who had tried to kill him.The woman who had spent her entire life ensuring he would never inherit the Blackwood legacy.And yet, here she was.Leading him to the very thing she had once hidden from him.The key.Adrian smirked to himself, watching as she struggled to keep up with his pace. She was old, frail, her once-powerful aura diminished by years of manipulation and failed plans.Now, she had no choice but to obey.A fallen queen.“Keep up, Grandmother,” Adrian drawled, watching as she stumbled over an exposed root.Catherine shot him a glare, her silver hair gleaming under the dim moonlight. “If you’re so eager to get there, why don’t you carry me?” she sneered.Adria
Centuries Ago—The Beginning of the Curse and the story of the keyThe wind howled through the dense forest, rustling the thick canopy of leaves that shrouded the night sky. The towering trees stood like silent sentinels, their gnarled roots twisting along the forest floor, weaving a labyrinth that few dared to tread. The air smelled of damp earth and ancient secrets—secrets that had been buried long before men had the courage to seek them out.And yet, on this night, two men dared to walk the forbidden path.Their cloaks billowed as they trudged deeper into the wilderness, the flickering light of their torches casting eerie shadows on the bark of ancient oaks.Alaric and Tobias Blackwood.Brothers. Rivals. And soon—victims.Alaric, the elder of the two, was a man of strength and intellect, his sharp mind always a step ahead of the world. Tobias, the younger, was the wilder spirit—reckless, passionate, and endlessly curious.It was Tobias who had first heard the rumors.A key—one said
Adrian Blackwood stood in the dimly lit chamber, his sharp eyes scanning the fragile parchment in his hands. The edges of the ancient paper were brittle, yellowed by time, but the ink remained bold, etched with secrets that had been buried for centuries.His fingers tightened around it as he read, his pulse quickening with each word.A curse.A soul exchange.His ancestors had fought for this key, believing it would grant them power and wealth—only to suffer a fate worse than death.Adrian exhaled slowly, lowering the parchment.He turned to the old woman sitting before him—his grandmother.Catherine Blackwood watched him warily, her frail hands clasped in her lap. The flickering candlelight cast deep shadows over her lined face, but her eyes held the same sharpness they always had.Adrian smirked, folding the parchment between his fingers.“You expect me to believe this?” he asked, his voice dripping with amusement.Catherine’s jaw tightened. “You should.”Adrian let out a chuckle. “
The key felt cold in Adrian Blackwood’s grasp.The dim glow of torches flickered along the stone walls of the hidden chamber, their flames dancing against the damp air. The weight of centuries rested upon this place, whispering in the silence, warning of dangers unseen.Yet—nothing happened.No tremor in the ground. No eerie voices from the abyss. No curse latching onto his soul.Nothing.Adrian lifted the key, turning it over between his fingers. It was elegant, ancient, a work of masterful craftsmanship—yet at its core, it was just a key.A scoff built in his throat before escaping as a laugh.A deep, mocking chuckle that echoed off the stone walls.His grandmother, Catherine Blackwood, stood frozen a few feet away, her lined face twisted in disbelief.Adrian turned to her, smirking.“All that talk about curses, about power coming at a price,” he drawled, waving the key before her. “And yet, here I stand. Perfectly fine.”Catherine’s lips pressed into a thin line.“This isn’t right,
Pain throbbed in Damion Blackwood’s skull as he gasped awake. His breath came in short, sharp bursts, his chest rising and falling unevenly. His fingers dug into the dirt beneath him, cold and damp. The scent of earth and blood clung to the air.What the hell had happened?His body felt off—too heavy in some places, too unfamiliar in others. A deep, unsettling nausea swirled in his gut. He pressed a hand to his temple, groaning as he forced himself to sit up.The moment his eyes opened fully, he froze.Something wasn’t right.The torches in the underground chamber flickered dimly, casting long shadows along the damp stone walls. Several men stood nearby, their faces strangely unfamiliar, their eyes watching him with concern.Then—A gasp.He turned sharply, finding himself staring at an old woman rushing toward him—his grandmother.But why… why was she looking at him like that?“Damion?” Catherine Blackwood whispered, her voice trembling.Damion frowned.His lips parted, the rasp of h
Carmela sat curled up on the couch, her body wracked with silent sobs. Her mother sat beside her, rubbing gentle circles into her back, while her father stood near the window, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his face grim. The weight of Damion’s death had shattered something inside her. No matter how much she tried to hold herself together, the loss crushed her, suffocating her.Lily sat close by, eyes red from crying, occasionally glancing at Leonard, who stood stiffly near the door, his usual sharpness dimmed with grief.The living room was heavy with sorrow, the only sound being Carmela’s muffled cries against her mother’s shoulder.Then, the front door burst open.Everyone jerked in surprise as Lucas stormed in, his face pale, his breath ragged.“Carmela, something just happened,” he blurted, his eyes wild with urgency. “Are you all okay?”Carmela barely moved, her head still buried against her mother.Lucas swallowed hard, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. He t
A thick silence hung in the air after Carmela’s slap landed on Adrian’s cheek.Adrian—no, Damion—stood frozen, his mind reeling. His head jerked slightly from the force, but the sting on his face was nothing compared to the shock that pulsed through his entire being.His body felt foreign, his surroundings warped.Carmela’s glaring eyes burned into him, filled with fury and confusion.And then, her voice sliced through the silence like a blade.“Are you out of your damn mind?!”Damion blinked, stunned. His hand instinctively reached up to touch his cheek, feeling the lingering warmth from her slap.“What…” He trailed off, his mind struggling to process. “Carmela… why did you—”Carmela let out a harsh laugh, stepping back as if she was disgusted by him.“What the hell was that, Adrian?” she spat, wiping her lips aggressively. “How dare you just waltz in here and kiss me? Are you trying to play some sick game?”Damion’s breath hitched.Adrian?She was calling him Adrian.Why?What the h
A suffocating silence filled the room.Catherine Blackwood stood in the center, her sharp gaze locked onto Damion—or rather, Adrian’s face, which now held Damion’s soul.Carmela’s chest rose and fell rapidly, her lips parted in disbelief, while Lucas stood beside her, his jaw tight, his body rigid. Lily and Leonard exchanged anxious glances, their unease growing by the second.No one spoke.No one could.Because what Catherine had just implied was impossible.And yet—She had spoken Damion’s name with such certainty.Lucas was the first to break the silence, scoffing as he raked a hand through his hair. “Alright, this is getting ridiculous. You expect us to believe this? That Damion is somehow… what? Inside Adrian’s body?”Catherine met his gaze, unwavering. “That is exactly what I am saying.”Carmela shook her head violently, stepping back. “No. No, this is—this is insane.”Damion’s fists clenched at his sides.“I am Damion,” he said through gritted teeth. His voice was edged with de
A thick silence hung in the air after Carmela’s slap landed on Adrian’s cheek.Adrian—no, Damion—stood frozen, his mind reeling. His head jerked slightly from the force, but the sting on his face was nothing compared to the shock that pulsed through his entire being.His body felt foreign, his surroundings warped.Carmela’s glaring eyes burned into him, filled with fury and confusion.And then, her voice sliced through the silence like a blade.“Are you out of your damn mind?!”Damion blinked, stunned. His hand instinctively reached up to touch his cheek, feeling the lingering warmth from her slap.“What…” He trailed off, his mind struggling to process. “Carmela… why did you—”Carmela let out a harsh laugh, stepping back as if she was disgusted by him.“What the hell was that, Adrian?” she spat, wiping her lips aggressively. “How dare you just waltz in here and kiss me? Are you trying to play some sick game?”Damion’s breath hitched.Adrian?She was calling him Adrian.Why?What the h
Carmela sat curled up on the couch, her body wracked with silent sobs. Her mother sat beside her, rubbing gentle circles into her back, while her father stood near the window, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his face grim. The weight of Damion’s death had shattered something inside her. No matter how much she tried to hold herself together, the loss crushed her, suffocating her.Lily sat close by, eyes red from crying, occasionally glancing at Leonard, who stood stiffly near the door, his usual sharpness dimmed with grief.The living room was heavy with sorrow, the only sound being Carmela’s muffled cries against her mother’s shoulder.Then, the front door burst open.Everyone jerked in surprise as Lucas stormed in, his face pale, his breath ragged.“Carmela, something just happened,” he blurted, his eyes wild with urgency. “Are you all okay?”Carmela barely moved, her head still buried against her mother.Lucas swallowed hard, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. He t
Pain throbbed in Damion Blackwood’s skull as he gasped awake. His breath came in short, sharp bursts, his chest rising and falling unevenly. His fingers dug into the dirt beneath him, cold and damp. The scent of earth and blood clung to the air.What the hell had happened?His body felt off—too heavy in some places, too unfamiliar in others. A deep, unsettling nausea swirled in his gut. He pressed a hand to his temple, groaning as he forced himself to sit up.The moment his eyes opened fully, he froze.Something wasn’t right.The torches in the underground chamber flickered dimly, casting long shadows along the damp stone walls. Several men stood nearby, their faces strangely unfamiliar, their eyes watching him with concern.Then—A gasp.He turned sharply, finding himself staring at an old woman rushing toward him—his grandmother.But why… why was she looking at him like that?“Damion?” Catherine Blackwood whispered, her voice trembling.Damion frowned.His lips parted, the rasp of h
The key felt cold in Adrian Blackwood’s grasp.The dim glow of torches flickered along the stone walls of the hidden chamber, their flames dancing against the damp air. The weight of centuries rested upon this place, whispering in the silence, warning of dangers unseen.Yet—nothing happened.No tremor in the ground. No eerie voices from the abyss. No curse latching onto his soul.Nothing.Adrian lifted the key, turning it over between his fingers. It was elegant, ancient, a work of masterful craftsmanship—yet at its core, it was just a key.A scoff built in his throat before escaping as a laugh.A deep, mocking chuckle that echoed off the stone walls.His grandmother, Catherine Blackwood, stood frozen a few feet away, her lined face twisted in disbelief.Adrian turned to her, smirking.“All that talk about curses, about power coming at a price,” he drawled, waving the key before her. “And yet, here I stand. Perfectly fine.”Catherine’s lips pressed into a thin line.“This isn’t right,
Adrian Blackwood stood in the dimly lit chamber, his sharp eyes scanning the fragile parchment in his hands. The edges of the ancient paper were brittle, yellowed by time, but the ink remained bold, etched with secrets that had been buried for centuries.His fingers tightened around it as he read, his pulse quickening with each word.A curse.A soul exchange.His ancestors had fought for this key, believing it would grant them power and wealth—only to suffer a fate worse than death.Adrian exhaled slowly, lowering the parchment.He turned to the old woman sitting before him—his grandmother.Catherine Blackwood watched him warily, her frail hands clasped in her lap. The flickering candlelight cast deep shadows over her lined face, but her eyes held the same sharpness they always had.Adrian smirked, folding the parchment between his fingers.“You expect me to believe this?” he asked, his voice dripping with amusement.Catherine’s jaw tightened. “You should.”Adrian let out a chuckle. “
Centuries Ago—The Beginning of the Curse and the story of the keyThe wind howled through the dense forest, rustling the thick canopy of leaves that shrouded the night sky. The towering trees stood like silent sentinels, their gnarled roots twisting along the forest floor, weaving a labyrinth that few dared to tread. The air smelled of damp earth and ancient secrets—secrets that had been buried long before men had the courage to seek them out.And yet, on this night, two men dared to walk the forbidden path.Their cloaks billowed as they trudged deeper into the wilderness, the flickering light of their torches casting eerie shadows on the bark of ancient oaks.Alaric and Tobias Blackwood.Brothers. Rivals. And soon—victims.Alaric, the elder of the two, was a man of strength and intellect, his sharp mind always a step ahead of the world. Tobias, the younger, was the wilder spirit—reckless, passionate, and endlessly curious.It was Tobias who had first heard the rumors.A key—one said
The night was thick with tension, the air cold and damp as Adrian Blackwood walked through the darkened woods, his steps firm and unyielding. The rustling of leaves under his shoes was the only sound, apart from the faint, ragged breathing of the old woman beside him.Catherine Blackwood—his grandmother.The woman who had tried to kill him.The woman who had spent her entire life ensuring he would never inherit the Blackwood legacy.And yet, here she was.Leading him to the very thing she had once hidden from him.The key.Adrian smirked to himself, watching as she struggled to keep up with his pace. She was old, frail, her once-powerful aura diminished by years of manipulation and failed plans.Now, she had no choice but to obey.A fallen queen.“Keep up, Grandmother,” Adrian drawled, watching as she stumbled over an exposed root.Catherine shot him a glare, her silver hair gleaming under the dim moonlight. “If you’re so eager to get there, why don’t you carry me?” she sneered.Adria
The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor filled the silent hospital room, its steady pulse marking the fragile line between life and death.Lucas sat in the chair beside the bed, his elbow propped on the armrest, fingers pressed against his temple. His eyes were bloodshot, a mixture of exhaustion and frustration clouding his face.It had been days.Days of sitting in this hospital room, waiting.Waiting for something—a sign, a movement, anything to prove that Damion Blackwood was still in there, still fighting.And then—A sharp gasp shattered the silence.Lucas’s head snapped up.The body that had been lying still for so long suddenly tensed, Damion’s chest rising in a shaky breath. His fingers twitched, the muscles in his arms flexing weakly as if testing their strength.Then, with a slow, agonizing effort, his eyelids fluttered open.Lucas shot up from his chair.“Damion?”Damion’s eyes were unfocused, disoriented, as if the world around him wasn’t quite real. His breathing was un