Chapter 48: chapter 48

After escaping from the castle, Amelia ran as fast as her legs could carry her, her breath ragged, her heart pounding against her ribs. She didn’t stop—not when her feet ached. She had one goal: home. Finally, she reached the lake. The water stretched before her, dark and endless. She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering, her breath coming in quick gasps. I have to cross it even if it means burning alive. I have to find my way back. Amelia hesitated at the edge of the water, her pulse quickening. The moon’s reflection shimmered on the surface, casting an eerie glow. She wasn’t supposed to be here. The last time she had been here, Ivar was by her side. But now, she was alone.The silence of the night pressed in around her, broken only by the gentle lapping of water against the shore. Fear crept into her mind, tightening its grip with every passing second. This world is unknown to me. Every tree, every shadow, every whisper of the wind felt foreign, as if the land itself was watching her.Amelia’s eyes darted around the darkened forest. What if someone finds me? The thought sent a shiver down her spine. If they caught her, they would drag her back to the castle.She took a deep breath and stepped closer, staring at her reflection rippling in the dark water. Then, suddenly, a face appeared beneath the surface. A man’s face. His eyes were wide open, his expression eerily still. Panic shot through Amelia. The first thought that crossed her mind was that someone was drowning!"Sir, are you okay?" she called out, her voice breaking the silence. She stretched out her hand. "Take my hand! Try to come out of the water!"But the moment the man’s cold fingers wrapped around hers, everything changed. His face twisted and contorted, the flesh melting away, revealing a bony skull with hollow, sunken eyes. Rotting skin clung to his jaw, and his lips curled back into a gruesome grin.Amelia’s scream shattered the night. She struggled, tried to pull away, but his grip was unyielding, like iron chains binding her wrist. Her feet slipped, and before she could resist, she was yanked forward, her body plunging into the icy depths.Darkness swallowed her whole. The cold seeped into her bones, stealing her breath. She flailed, expecting the creature to drag her down into oblivion. But then, to her shock, it let go. Instead of attacking her, the skeletal figure drifted ahead, turning its hollow gaze back toward her. Then, with a slow, deliberate gesture, it pointed a bony finger toward a shadowy underwater cave.Amelia hesitated, her heart hammering against her ribs. Should she follow? The creature had let her go—it wasn’t trying to kill her. Against all logic, curiosity took hold. She kicked her legs, propelling herself forward, following the figure deeper into the water. The cave loomed ahead, its entrance like the gaping mouth of a beast, swallowing the light.Just as she was about to enter, a sudden force yanked her backward. Water surged around her as she was pulled violently upward. Her vision blurred, and in the next moment, she broke the surface, gasping for air.Strong arms held her tight, dragging her to the shore. She coughed, her lungs burning. When she finally looked up, her breath caught in her throat."Ivar?"He knelt beside her, panting heavily. His clothes torn, his body covered in bruises. His usually striking eyes were clouded with exhaustion, yet filled with a desperate relief.Amelia's voice trembled. "What happened to you? Where have you been?"Ivar didn’t answer immediately. He sat back on his heels, running a hand through his wet hair, his expression grim.The cold night wind whipped against her damp skin, but she barely noticed. Her mind was spinning, her heart pounding so loudly it drowned out everything else.She clutched at her chest, trying to steady herself, but the world felt unsteady beneath her feet. Panic clawed at her throat. But the moment Ivar’s voice cut through the silence, her heart clenched."What are you doing here, Amelia?" His tone was sharp, laced with frustration. His eyes, now darker, locked onto hers with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. "I told you to stay in the castle."Amelia turned to face him, her breath still uneven from the shock of what just happened beneath the water. Anger bubbled in her chest, breaking past the fear that had gripped her moments ago."You left me without a word!" she shot back, her voice trembling. "I was worried, Ivar! I couldn’t just sit there and do nothing!"Ivar clenched his jaw, his expression unreadable. He took a slow step forward, his boots crunching against the damp earth. "So you came here in the middle of the night for what? To rescue me?" His voice dripped with disbelief. "You foolish girl—do you have any idea what you just did?"Amelia’s hands curled into fists. "I—""You were about to walk straight into hell," he cut her off, his voice rising, his usual composure slipping. He motioned toward the darkened cave beneath the lake, his eyes burning with something between anger and desperation. "If you had gone in there, your soul would have been trapped forever. Do you understand that? Forever, Amelia. You would never have come out."A cold dread settled in her stomach. She had felt the pull of that cave, the silent beckoning of the creature that had guided her toward it. She had followed blindly, thinking it meant no harm.She turned to Ivar, her voice barely above a whisper. "But… that thing," she said, struggling to find the right words. "It showed me something—a cave, just like the one we came through before."Ivar ran a hand through his damp hair, exhaling sharply. His expression darkened. His eyes narrowed, flashing with something she couldn't quite place—anger, disappointment, maybe even something deeper. He took a step closer."Oh," he said, his voice laced with cold understanding. "So you were trying to escape from here." Amelia swallowed hard, guilt twisting in her stomach. "I—""You disappoint me, Amelia," he interrupted, his tone sharp but controlled. "I know you don’t trust me, and I understand why. "But what were you doing? That’s not the right way."She clenched her fists, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "What was I supposed to do, Ivar? You left without a word! I thought you abandoned me!"His jaw clenched, frustration evident in every word. "I’m warning you—if you do something foolish again, you’re going to stay here forever. I won't let you leave. Forget about your world!"Amelia looked away, Ivar turned sharply and began walking toward the castle, his strides quick and purposeful. The moonlight cast long shadows over the ground, stretching out before him as if the night itself was warning Amelia to keep her distance.But she didn’t.Swallowing her hesitation, Amelia hurried after him, her footsteps crunching against the damp earth. The silence between them was thick, heavy with unspoken words.She hesitated for a moment before asking, "How did you get hurt?" Her voice was quieter than she intended, laced with uncertainty.Ivar didn’t stop, didn’t even glance back. His response came quickly, his tone edged with frustration. "Because of you, you stupid girl."Amelia’s steps faltered. "Because of me?" she repeated, her brows knitting together. "How?"Ivar came to an abrupt halt. For a moment, he stood still, his fists clenched at his sides. Then, he turned to face her.His eyes burned under the moonlight, his expression unreadable. "Stop talking," he said, his voice low, almost a growl.Amelia sucked in a breath, but she held his gaze. She wanted answers, but something in his eyes told her now was not the time to push him.His words hit her like a blow. He wasn’t just scolding her—he was terrified for her. When she met his gaze, she saw it clearly. Beneath his anger, beneath his frustration, was fear. Not for himself. For her.Amelia hesitated, her lips parting as if to say something, but the words wouldn’t come.