Sins of the Ancestorz

Night fell over Hollowstead like a shroud, and Eliza found herself drawn once more to the locked room. She had tried to busy herself with mundane tasks—organizing papers, cleaning out the kitchen—but the pull of the room at the end of the hallway was unrelenting.

She stood before it again, the journal clutched tightly in her hands. The padlock and chains gleamed dully in the faint light of her lantern. She could hear whispers now, faint and indistinct, like voices carried on a distant wind.

"Eliza," they called, soft and melodic, beckoning her.

Her grandmother's journal had been explicit: the door must remain closed. Yet the whispers planted seeds of doubt. What if the answers to all her questions were on the other side? What if unlocking it could set her free?

Her hand drifted toward the lock. The cold metal stung her skin, sending a shiver down her spine.

"Eliza, stop!"

She gasped and turned to see a man standing at the end of the hallway. He was tall and lean, with dark hair and piercing eyes that seemed to burn with intensity. He was out of place, his modern clothes stark against the antiquated setting of the house.

"Who are you?" she demanded, stepping back from the door.

"My name is Daniel," he said, his voice firm but calm. "I'm here to help you."

Eliza's eyes narrowed. "Help me? How did you get in here?"

"I've been watching the manor," he admitted, his expression grim. "When I saw you return, I knew it was only a matter of time before the Watcher made its move."

Her grip on the journal tightened. "The Watcher? You know about it?"

Daniel nodded. "It's bound to your bloodline, Eliza. It feeds on the Ravenswood family's sins. Your grandmother fought it for years, but now that she's gone, it's coming for you."

She felt a wave of dizziness as his words sank in. "Why me? I didn't do anything."

"It doesn't matter," Daniel said. "The curse doesn't care about guilt or innocence. All it cares about is blood."

Eliza's knees threatened to buckle, but she steadied herself against the wall. "Then what am I supposed to do? Just let it take me?"

"No," Daniel said firmly. "There's a way to fight it, but you have to stay away from that room. Whatever is behind that door will only make things worse."

Eliza glanced at the door again, her resolve wavering. The whispers had grown louder, their tone more insistent.

"You don't understand," she said, her voice trembling. "It's calling to me. It won't let me rest until I open it."

Daniel stepped closer, his expression darkening. "That's exactly what it wants. If you give in, you'll be handing yourself over to the Watcher. Don't let it win."

Before she could respond, the lantern flickered and went out, plunging the hallway into darkness. The whispers turned into screams, loud and guttural, reverberating through the house.

"Eliza!" Daniel shouted, grabbing her arm. "We need to get out of here!"

They ran down the stairs, the screams following them like a living thing. Shadows darted across the walls, their shapes monstrous and shifting. By the time they reached the front door, Eliza was gasping for breath, her heart pounding in her chest.

Daniel flung the door open, and they stumbled out into the night. The air outside was thick with fog, but the oppressive weight of the house was gone.

Eliza turned to look at Daniel, her mind racing with questions. "Who are you really? And why do you care what happens to me?"

He hesitated, his jaw tightening. "I knew your grandmother. She saved my life once, and I owe her everything. She made me promise that if anything happened to her, I'd protect you."

Eliza swallowed hard, her emotions a chaotic swirl. "You're saying my grandmother knew this would happen?"

"She knew the curse would pass to you," Daniel said quietly. "And she knew you'd need help to survive it."

• Get access to advanced chapter only on my Patreon.

patreon(.)com/Bersertales