Darkness

Previously

…Maya shivered, her eyes wide. "It feels… like the night we saw… him." Liam nodded, the memory of the masked killer vivid and terrifying. He thought of the locket, the black rose. He knew, with a chilling certainty, that they were walking into something far more dangerous than they could have ever imagined. He took a deep breath, the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves filling his lungs. He tightened his grip on the locket, a silent vow to protect Maya, to uncover the truth, no matter the cost. The darkness around them seemed to deepen, to press in, but a small, defiant spark of resolve flickered within him. They would face whatever lurked in the shadows, together.