Chapter 22

The moon hung high above the graveyard, casting its silver glow over the weathered tombstones and the ancient oaks that twisted skyward like skeletal hands. Each step I took was hesitant, my breath shallow as the silence around me felt almost alive, pressing against my ears. The witch’s words echoed in my mind, her instructions leaving no room for delay. If you’re going to do this, you must arrive before the hybrid and his siblings.

The air was cold, biting against my skin, but the chill was nothing compared to the fear crawling up my spine. I clutched the fabric of my dress, already dirt-streaked and tattered, and pushed forward. The graveyard was even more terrifying than I remembered, every shadow a threat, every rustle of the wind a whisper from something unseen.

In the distance, a figure stood waiting. Bennet’s red hood was impossible to miss, her jet-black hair gleaming under the moonlight. She didn’t move as I approached, but her piercing gaze found me the moment I stepped into her line of sight.

“You’re here,” she said simply, her voice as steady and commanding as ever.

I nodded, though my heart was pounding.

“Follow me.”

Bennet didn’t wait for a response. She turned and began walking deeper into the graveyard, her steps purposeful and soundless despite the rocky, uneven terrain.

“Where are we going?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“To a tomb,” she said without turning around.

A tomb. The word alone made my stomach churn. The idea of being placed in such a confined, dark space filled me with dread, but I couldn’t back out now. I had made my decision.

As we descended into a secluded part of the graveyard, Bennet stopped in front of an ornate tomb. The stone was cracked and weathered, moss creeping along its edges. Symbols I didn’t recognize were etched into the surface, their lines sharp and deliberate.

“This is the resting place of one of my ancestors,” Bennet said, her voice softening just slightly. “Her body was burned long ago by hunters, but her spirit remains. She will guide you.”

I stared at the tomb, my chest tightening. Guide me? That didn’t sound comforting—it sounded terrifying.

“Why does it have to be in a tomb?” I asked, my voice trembling.

Bennet turned to me, her dark eyes unreadable. “Because this journey is not simple. The spirits of the Bennet witches will protect you, but the tomb shields you from Damon’s senses. He won’t be able to find you, not here or beyond.”

Her words were meant to reassure me, but they only heightened my unease. The air felt heavier, as if the graveyard itself disapproved of what we were about to do.

“Do you still wish to go through with this?” Bennet asked, studying me carefully.

I hesitated, my thoughts racing. I thought of Lily and Jordan, of the life I was leaving behind. Was I betraying them by not searching for them first? Would they even survive in this cruel world without me?

But the memories of this place—the pain, the loss, the monsters that haunted every corner—overpowered my doubts. I didn’t belong here. I couldn’t survive here.

“Yes,” I said, my voice firm despite the tremor in my hands.

Bennet nodded. “Then there’s no turning back.”

She pulled a bundle of herbs from her cloak and began burning them in a small dish she had brought. The smell was sharp and earthy, the smoke curling in the air and making my head swim. She handed me a necklace, its pendant a strange, glowing crystal.

“Wear this,” she said. “It will shield you during the transition.”

I slipped the necklace over my head, the pendant resting cold against my chest. My pulse quickened as Bennet motioned for me to step inside the tomb.

The space was dark and suffocating, the air stale. I crouched, my dress brushing against the dusty floor, and felt a wave of panic rise in my chest.

“You’ll feel the air grow thin,” Bennet said as she knelt outside the tomb, arranging candles and drawing symbols in a circle around the entrance. “But the herbs will calm you. When the spell begins, you may feel…disoriented.”

“That’s comforting,” I muttered, trying to steady my breathing.

She gave me a faint smirk before lighting the candles, the flames casting flickering shadows across the ancient stones.

“This tomb belonged to my great-great-grandmother,” Bennet said as she worked. “She’ll protect you. Her spirit lingers, stronger than most. She understands sacrifice.”

Her words didn’t reassure me in the slightest.

Bennet finished her preparations and placed a hand on the tomb’s stone door. “Once I close this, you’ll be hidden from Damon’s senses. He will never find you. Are you ready?”

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. “Yes.”

The door slid shut, the last sliver of moonlight vanishing. The darkness was absolute.

The air grew heavier, and for a moment, I thought I might suffocate. But then the herbs took effect, a strange calm washing over me. My eyelids grew heavy, my body sinking into a state of peace I hadn’t felt in years.

And then I heard the voices.

They were muffled at first, but I pressed my ear to a tiny crack in the tomb, squinting to make out the faint glow of candlelight. Damon and his siblings had arrived.

Their voices were low but distinct, each sibling’s tone carrying their unique personality.

“Are you sure about your  mate?” Elijah asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“I don’t need a weakness,” Damon said coldly. “She stays behind. Her fate is here.”

A hollow ache settled in my chest at his words, but I forced myself to focus.

Bennet’s voice rose, commanding and rhythmic as she began chanting. The candles around the siblings flared brighter, their flames bending and twisting unnaturally.

The air grew heavy, charged with a strange energy that made my skin tingle. I could see lines of blood—Damon’s blood—moving in intricate patterns across the ground, drawn to the symbols Bennet had etched.

The spell intensified, Bennet’s voice growing louder, the strange language tumbling from her lips like a storm. The flames roared, and the air grew unbearably hot.

My body felt heavy, my vision blurring. The last thing I saw before everything went black was the candles sputtering out, leaving nothing but darkness.

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