CHAPTER 236: CHAPTER 236 THE WITCHES’ REALM (12)

The hallway felt colder than it should have been. I didn’t wander far, just enough for the silence to wrap around me. It clung to the air, thick and unnatural, like the building was holding its breath.

Suddenly, something moved at the edge of my vision.

A faint shadow slipped past the end of the corridor. It was swift and agile, almost too fast for the naked eye.

I moved quietly, each step slow as I made my way toward the spot. But by the time I got there, the space was empty. The hallway curved into another wall of stone and lanterns, but there was no one in sight.

My eyes scanned the corners. My senses strained, trying to catch something, but everything was silent.

However, the scent still lingered in the air. My brows furrowed.

It smelled like the witches but it didn’t belong to any of the ones we’d met. It carried a strange smell with it.

My jaw tensed as I breathed it in again.

Beowulf stirred inside me. "That wasn’t just a witch."

"No," I muttered, my eyes narrowing at the corridor ahead. "And they weren’t just passing by."

They’d been watching us. But why? Could it be that they have discovered our identity? If the witches knew that the Lycan King was in their realm... it would be impossible to leave without a fight.

I didn’t like the silence, the fading scent, and the feeling crawling down my spine.

Beowulf growled low. "Should we wake the others?"

"No," I said, turning back toward the room, my cold calculating eyes narrowed slightly. "Let them rest. If something’s coming... I want it to think we’re unprepared."

The hall behind me stayed still, but the air hadn’t gone back to normal. Something had changed, and I could feel it settling in my bones.

We were being watched.

And whoever it was... they weren’t done yet.

...

(Aeris POV)

I jolted upright, my breath caught in my throat.

The dream was already fading, but I could still feel the hands brushing against my skin, its warmth pressing down on me, a voice I couldn’t hear clearly.

And a man. His body had been impossible to ignore, his intoxicating smell of chocolate and pine invaded my nostrils, his well-chiseled chest made me salivate... hungering for something unknown, however, his face had stayed hidden, like the shadows refused to let me see it.

’Aeris, now you are even dreaming about an unknown man.’ I facepalmed myself. ’Why does he smell like Da... No. That is not possible. Could he be my mate?’

I blinked slowly, trying to steady my breathing.

My eyes wandered to the ceiling, then to the dim glow of the lantern on the wall.

I turned my head, expecting to see Damon in his usual spot... but it was empty.

The blanket was still slightly creased where he had been lying, but he was gone.

My brows pulled together. Where did he go?

I glanced across the room. Alaric and Mr. Four Eyes were fast asleep, snoring softly. They were sprawled out on the same bed, completely dead to the world.

I sat there for a moment, unsure if I should go looking for Damon. The old me probably would have jumped up the second I noticed he wasn’t around. But now? I wasn’t so sure.

I pulled the blanket closer, staring at the two bracelets on my wrists.

One was the black one White had given me, the one that still made my chest tighten whenever I touched it. The other was the one from the witch, glowing faintly with quiet magic. It didn’t feel threatening. But something about it still made me nervous.

I reached out and touched the bracelet from White, my fingers brushing the smooth surface.

Just then, I froze as a wave of emotion rolled through me. It came out of nowhere, it was heavy, and suffocating.

My heart skipped... But the feeling wasn’t mine.

...It was Damon’s.

A tight unease crept into my chest, and I couldn’t explain how I knew it was him, but I did. The emotion wasn’t natural, and it wasn’t coming from inside me.

I looked toward the door.

Maybe something was wrong. Was he in danger?

Still, I hesitated. I didn’t want to seem like I cared too much. After all, I was still mad at him.

But that sinking feeling... it wouldn’t go away.

Quietly, I slipped off the bed, careful not to wake Alaric, Rhydian, or Mr. Four Eyes. My feet touched the cold floor, and I crossed the room slowly, wrapping my arms around myself.

I didn’t open the door. I went to the window instead.

The glass was cold beneath my fingers as I pulled it open. The night air hit me, cool and sharp.

The half-moon hung in the sky, casting silver light across the small village. The lanterns below flickered faintly, casting moving shadows against the stone walls.

I let out a breath, staring at the night. My eyes followed the light, trailing along the rooftops, the alleyways, the stone paths below.

Suddenly, my mind felt a strong compulsion, bending my head to look below.

My eyes narrowed, scanning the shadows, I couldn’t look away no matter how hard I tried.

’What the hell is happening? Why can’t I control myself?’ My fingers clenched around the window’s panel.

Then, a figure stood below, near the edge of the courtyard, half-hidden by the trees. They wore a long cloak with the hood pulled up, and they didn’t move.

My eyes met a pair of pale blue eyes. It was beautiful yet malicious. I felt shivers running down my spine.

Even in the dark, I could see them clearly, glowing faintly as they stared straight up at me.

My breath caught in my chest. ’What the hell?’

We just stood there, staring at each other, without breaking eye contact.

Then, I heard whispers inside my head, followed by a pressuring force pressing down on my skull... almost like it had been torn apart.

"Let me inside your head." The voice echoed like a drip of water in a deep cave, quiet but impossible to ignore.