Zoya's P.O.V
Ezra and Silas hadn’t been in the room when Lady Athena explained the curse to us, so confusion hung heavy in the air.
Ezra's arm remained around me, his grip firm yet comforting, a silent reassurance that we were facing this challenge together. Silas and Anika exchanged wary glances, the remnants of their previous argument still lingering between them.
"Wait, a curse?" Silas's voice was edged with disbelief, as if grappling with the idea of supernatural forces at play.
Ezra turned his attention to Lady Athena, his curiosity piqued. "What kind of curse are we dealing with, exactly?"
Lady Athena's gaze held a mixture of solemnity and concern as she began to explain. "A demonic curse is a potent form of dark magic, woven in a way that links the victim to a malevolent entity, in this case, a demon. The victim becomes a conduit for the demon's influence, their emotions, thoughts, and even actions manipulated by the curse. It's a sinister form of control, and demons often utilize it to spread chaos and further their own agendas."
My heart pounded in my chest as her words sunk in. The idea of being tethered to a demon's will was horrifying, the thought of losing agency over my own mind and actions unsettling to the core.
Lady Athena continued, “Someone in your family made a deal with a demon not too long ago. Haven’t you wondered why your actions had been emotionally-driven as of late? Always so angry, so full of uncontained rage? Perhaps even on the foolish side? Well, this explains it.”
Gustav stepped forward, his tone grave. "But how did this curse find its way to Zoya?”
Lady Athena's expression darkened. "I can't pinpoint the exact individual responsible for making the deal, unfortunately. Demons are cunning and elusive, striking deals in the shadows, often exploiting desires, weaknesses, or desperation.”
She sighed. “They never stick to their end of the deal and always twist their words in such a way that they always get the better end of the bargain. It's possible that someone unknowingly entered into a pact, perhaps seeking power or a way out of a dire situation."
A thought suddenly crossed my mind… the image of Lily, in that mirror, her pure face marred by soot and the flames of Hell. It was strange not in a way that was skeptical of the existence of the supernatural, but rather unnatural because Lily did not have the face nor nature of someone who would be condemned to inferno after death.
“I’ve got something to tell you, Lady Athena…” I spoke up, casting hesitant glances toward Ezra, Silas, Cam, and Gustav. No doubt they would feel scandalized once again if I brought up my vision. I didn’t worry about Lady Athena or Anika’s disbelief, though. They weren’t biased about Lily, so they were the most likely to listen to me with an open mind.
“‘Yes, dear? What is it?” Lady Athena prompted. “Don’t leave anything out. Any information is important, no matter how trivial you think it may be.”
“One time… in Ezra’s old house… I saw something…” I said slowly. “An image of Lily in the mirror… and it looked like she was burning in hell… If you knew Lily, it would be difficult to believe, much less accept, but I swear I’m telling the truth!”
Lady Athena nodded solemnly. “Do not worry, child. I do not doubt you at all,” she said. “The people who got cursed by this demon are bound to be trapped in Hell.”
Oh, shit. Did I hear that right?
And if I’m cursed as well, did that mean that, if the demon manages to get to me – God forbid – I, too, will be condemned to an afterlife in hell?
And what of my child?!
I wanted to cry, to scream. It felt like I was being pulled in all directions, and my body was about to burst from the unidirectional external forces. I didn’t know what to think.
As though sensing my emotions, Ezra’s grip on my hand tightened. It brought me some comfort, but I wasn’t feeling entirely better.
The weight of Lady Athena's words hung heavily in the air, her revelation about the cursed victims being dragged to hell casting a chilling pall over the room.
An unsettling silence settled over us, punctuated only by the crackling of the fireplace and the sound of our collective breaths.
My gaze shifted to Ezra, my heart racing as I processed the gravity of the situation. I turned to him, my voice trembling slightly as I spoke, "Ezra, you mentioned something about this before... when you were putting me to bed last night. What did you mean?"
He didn’t answer, and I saw that everyone else had their heads turned to him, waiting for his answer as much as I was. He looked like he was debating whether to tell me or not… but at the same time as though he had already decided to tell me and was only trying to form the right words to say.
“Please, Ezra…I know you’re hiding something. And I know you think that you’re protecting me, but you’re not!” I begged. “Please… tell me everything. Help me. Help Lily…Help our baby…”
After a long while, he finally sighed and said, “Alright…I’ll tell you the whole truth.”