CHAPTER 1

The Midnight Clock

The air in the Blackwood valley always tasted like damp pine and oncoming rain, but tonight, it felt thick enough to choke on.

Inside the small, warmly lit cottage at the edge of the woods, the atmosphere was entirely different. Laughter bounced off the exposed wooden beams. Music with a heavy, rhythmic bassline thrummed from a portable speaker, vibrating the glass of cider Liora held in her hand.

LIORA

"Eighteen, Liora. You are officially an adult," Emi declared, dropping onto the vintage velvet sofa next to her and slinging an arm over her shoulder. Emi’s eyes gleamed with the kind of mischief that usually spelled trouble. "Which means the streak of you being the most boringly safe teenager in this town officially ends tonight."

Liora offered a small, defensive smile, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "I’m not safe, Emi. I’m practical. There’s a difference."

"You’ve never stayed out past midnight, you’ve never broken a single curfew, and you’ve never—not once—been on a real date," Emi countered, counting the points on her fingers.

From the kitchen counter, Hael leaned back, a soft smile playing on his lips as he swirled the ice in his glass. He caught Liora’s eye, his gaze lingering for a second too long with that familiar, quiet protectiveness. "Leave her alone, Emi. Some people don’t need a chaotic love life to feel alive."

"Oh, hush, Hael. You’re just enabling her," Emi scoffed playfully. She turned back to Liora, her expression turning dead serious, though her eyes danced. "I’m issuing an official birthday dare. You have exactly five days. Five days to find love. Or, fine, at least go on one genuinely romantic, heart-racing date. No excuses."

"Five days?" Liora laughed, shaking her head. "Emi, that’s impossible. Love doesn't just show up on a schedule."

"Five days," Emi insisted, tapping Liora’s nose. "Before the next full moon. Deal?"

Liora opened her mouth to argue, but a sudden, sharp ache throbbed behind her temples. It was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by a strange, fleeting sensation—like a low frequency hum vibrating deep within her bones. She blinked, looking toward the dark window facing the dense forest. For a split second, the shadows between the trees seemed to pulse.

"Liora? You okay?" Hael asked, stepping away from the counter. His easy-going demeanor shifted, his eyes narrowing slightly as he noticed her paleness.

"Yeah," Liora murmured, rubbing her temples. "Just a sudden headache. Too much sugar, probably."

Before Hael could step closer, the heavy grandfather clock in the corner began to chime.

*Dong. Dong. Dong.*

Midnight.

The front door of the cottage clicked open, and the chilly night air swept into the room, carrying the scent of crushed leaves and wild ozone. Grandma Nymeria stepped inside, her long, silver-threaded cloak swirling around her ankles. Her sharp, ancient eyes immediately locked onto Liora. There was no joy in her expression—only a tight, heavy gravity.

"Emi, Hael," Nymeria said, her voice smooth but commanding. "It is late. The woods are restless tonight. You both need to head home."

Emi groaned softly but gathered her jacket. "Party pooper. Remember the dare, Liora! Five days!"

Hael lingered for a moment, his hand gently touching Liora’s shoulder. "Text me when you're going to sleep, okay? Make sure that headache goes away."

"I will. Drive safe," Liora replied, giving him a reassuring smile.

Once the door clicked shut behind them, the silence in the cottage became absolute. The rhythmic music was gone, replaced by the eerie, rhythmic ticking of the clock.

Nymeria didn't unwrap her cloak. Instead, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, velvet pouch. "Come here, child."

Liora approached her, feeling a strange, sudden heat radiating from her own chest. "Grandma? What’s wrong? You look like..."

"Like a storm is coming," Nymeria finished softly. She opened the pouch and pulled out a heavy, intricately carved silver locket. At its center sat a polished stone that looked like a drop of frozen, blood-red moonlight. "Your mother and father wanted you to have this on your eighteenth birthday. It belonged to your father, Emris."

As Nymeria pressed the cold metal into Liora’s palm, a violent jolt of electricity shot up Liora's arm. Her heart hammered against her ribs, suddenly racing at an impossible speed. The room seemed to tilt, the colors blurring.

"Grandma..." Liora gasped, clutching her chest. Her vision sharpened abnormally—she could suddenly see the individual fibers on Nymeria's cloak, could hear the faint, frantic heartbeat of a field mouse buried beneath the floorboards. "What is happening to me?"

"Put it on, Liora. Now," Nymeria commanded, her voice laced with sudden urgency.

With trembling fingers, Liora hooked the chain around her neck. The moment the blood-red stone rested against her collarbone, a wave of soothing coolness washed over her, suppressing the fiery chaos in her veins. Her senses snapped back to normal, leaving her gasping for air.

Nymeria placed her weathered hands on Liora’s shoulders, staring deeply into her eyes. "Listen to me very carefully. The blood inside you is a secret that cost Eloise and Emris their lives. For eighteen years, my magic kept it asleep. But tonight, the seal has cracked. You are no longer hidden, Liora. And the world is about to come looking for you."

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