Chapter 7
Maeve's Cryptic Counsel
Elder Maeve shares fragmented lore about the Valpyr and the Awakening, hinting at a forgotten pact and the importance of Anya's role.
The air in Elder Maeve’s cottage always smelled of dried herbs and something else, something ancient and comforting, like dust motes dancing in sunbeams. Today, though, a faint tremor of unease vibrated beneath the familiar scent, a subtle discord in the usual harmony. I sat across from her, my hands clasped so tightly my knuckles were white. The blueberry parfait I’d eaten earlier felt like a lead weight in my stomach, a sour reminder of Silas’s betrayal and the chilling truth I was uncovering.
Maeve’s eyes, usually the colour of warm honey, seemed clouded today, reflecting a deeper, sorrowful landscape. She stirred a pot of something that bubbled with a gentle hiss, the steam carrying the scent of lavender and something sharper, like regret. “The Awakening, child,” she began, her voice a low murmur, like pebbles rolling in a stream. “It was not a gift, but a consequence. A pact broken, a balance tipped.”
I leaned forward, my heart thudding against my ribs. “A pact? What pact, Maeve?”
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