Chapter 86 Chapter 85: Winter

Chapter 86 Chapter 85: Winter
As Luca and I crested the final hill, the ship emerged before us—a massive rusted relic of decay, yet still commanding presence. This was the furthest rise, and I could almost smell the salt in the air mixing with the scent of old wood and something more disturbing—something rotten. The ship's wide-open hole stared back at us, a dark maw ready to swallow the unwary. With each step I took toward it, a deep hum vibrated inside me—a familiar warmth from the magic within me. It beat like a heartbeat, guiding me—urging me to investigate whatever was inside.
"Winter," Luca's voice interrupted my daydream, pulling my attention away from the ship's ghostly silhouette. I turned to him, noticing the worry creasing his brow. "Are you sure about this? The place feels… off."
"More off than lurking in the middle of a thorny woods? It's just a ship," I replied with a bravado I didn't quite feel. My heart thrummed against my ribcage, quickening with both anticipation and fear. "And it's the least damaged one. It's stable." At least, I hoped it was. The wind sighed through the rotting planks overhead, almost as if it was chuckling at our bravery—or our folly. 
Luca took a deep breath, the fearful recognition flickering in his eyes. "Yeah, but stable doesn't mean safe." He glanced back at the horizon, where the trees swayed like cautionary figures, and the bruised sky pressed down on us. He must have felt the same chill creeping up his spine.
"Neither does anything in this cursed place," I shot back, a hint of irritation seeping into my tone. But there was warmth in his presence, a light that pushed the doubts back to a manageable distance. The truth was, my magic was alive and guiding me with bright threads of energy that wrapped around my heart, pulling me closer to the ship, closer to whatever lay hidden within.
As I moved to examine the gaping hole in the hull, the darkness inside seemed to beckon me, offering secrets and answers. "You ready?" I asked, casting one last glance at Luca. His jaw was clenched, but I saw bravery in his steady gaze. 
I stepped through the entrance, and the air immediately grew dense and suffocating. A low whistle echoed through the rotting wood, an eerie chorus that bounced off the walls, as if the ship itself was mourning its fallen condition. My instincts urged me to turn back, but my magic hummed beneath my skin, aligning with the whispers that flowed from the ship's shadows. 
With each step deeper in, the oppressive gloom tightened around me, filled with unbearable tension. The smell here was rancid, a mix of mildew and something I didn't want to name, like decay had taken hold in the very bones of this vessel. It felt wrong, yet somehow right at the same time. 
Luca's footsteps kept close behind, but as the darkness cloaked the light around us, I noticed he hesitated. "Can I ask you something?" 
Something shimmered around us, an urge that demanded my attention, yet the question lingered between us. "Sure," I said slowly, not sure if I wanted to know what bomb he was about to drop.
He took a breath, and I could feel the tension rising in the air. "About the kiss with Aaron…" He hesitated. "So it is official?"
"What do you mean?" I asked, pretending to be clueless, but he didn't buy it.
"I just... it feels like something changed between you two. And I've noticed how Braxton looks at you."
A weight settled in my chest. I looked at him, a twist of guilt unfolding. "Are you serious? Brax? He's just… my friend. I thought he was happy for us." I remembered the warmth in Braxton's smile earlier, but could it have hidden something deeper? 
Luca rubbed the back of his neck, the fluorescent dimness casting shadows along his sharp features. "It's harder to see these things sometimes," he murmured. "But if you feel something for Aaron, you need to be sure it's what you want. Braxton… well, he might be hurt." 
I felt my heart tighten. "I didn't mean to… I thought he would be okay with it. Aaron and I are mates. It's not like I can do anything about it." Dread pooled in my gut as I realized that what had always felt innocent might have unknowingly sparked something more complicated. I didn't want to break his heart—I hadn't even considered the possibility that he harbored feelings for me. "I just thought we were all friends."
"That's how it often goes in these tangled webs we weave," he said softly. "But let's focus on what we came to do. We can figure out the fallout later." 
The air grew thicker as we moved further into the ship's core, my magic resonating with the heavy darkness. Meanwhile, my thoughts absorbed Braxton's feelings.
Suddenly, an insidious whisper brushed against my ear, calling me deeper. It was a sound so familiar, a voice that conjured memories I wasn't ready to face. I paused, and the chill sweeping through the air felt like shards of ice stabbing into my skin. It sounded like my sister, a distant murmur that beckoned me forward. "Winter…" it whispered, dripping with raw emotion but shrouded in a sense of urgency. 
"Do you hear that?" I asked, my voice soft and uncertain. It felt as if the shadows around me moved and reached toward that sound, pulling me further away from the light and into the darkness.
Luca looked nervous, scanning the dark emptiness around us. "Hear what?" 
"Whispers," I breathed, entranced. They felt like promises, secrets just waiting for me to unearth them. "I think it's my sister…" 
"No!" His voice cut through the ghostly fog swirling around me. "Winter, don't follow it! We should go back." The urgency in his voice was tangible, prickling my skin, but I was irresistibly drawn toward those voices, like a moth to a flame. There was something beyond the shadowy veil that I needed to discover, something hidden just beyond reach.