The Chamber Unlocked
The hidden chamber beneath the academy felt colder than usual, its ancient carvings and faintly glowing runes casting long shadows across the stone walls. Eryon stood at the entrance, his jaw clenched as he waited for Misery to join him.
Her footsteps echoed softly as she approached, her smirk already in place. “You’ve been surprisingly cooperative,” she said, her voice dripping with amusement.
Eryon didn’t respond, his wolf growling faintly beneath his control. He led her deeper into the chamber, the air growing heavier with each step.
When they reached the central chamber, Misery’s eyes widened slightly. The relic sat in the center of the room, its jagged crystal form glowing faintly with an eerie red light. The pedestal it rested on was carved from black stone, etched with runes that pulsed faintly in time with the relic’s energy.
Misery stepped closer, her movements slow and deliberate. “This is it,” she murmured, her voice laced with awe. “The source of your little secret.”
“It’s not what you think,” Eryon said, his voice tight.
Misery turned to face him, her smirk returning. “Oh, darling, I think it’s exactly what I think. This… whatever it is… isn’t just powerful. It’s dangerous.”
She moved around the pedestal, her sharp eyes scanning the runes. “Old magic,” she mused. “Werewolf magic.”
Eryon stiffened at her words, but Misery didn’t seem to notice—or care. Her gaze returned to the relic, her expression darkening. “A weapon like this could do more than expose you. It could destroy the Vampire King himself.”
Eryon’s heart pounded. “That’s not why we’re here.”
“Isn’t it?” Misery asked, her tone cutting.
She stepped closer to him, her crimson eyes locking onto his. “You’re not just hiding from Adrian or the academy. You’re hiding from the King. And now you have a weapon that could end him.”
Eryon’s wolf snarled, his control slipping for a moment as he met her gaze. “This isn’t about war,” he said firmly.
Misery tilted her head, her smirk widening. “Not yet.”
The relic pulsed brightly, casting the room in an eerie red light. Misery turned back to it, her voice soft but dangerous.
“And what, exactly,” she murmured, “are you planning to do with this?”
