Chapter 38

Sarah's POV

The library had always been my refuge. Its towering shelves, crammed with dusty tomes and ancient scrolls, seemed to hold answers to questions I hadn't yet learned to ask. The dim light filtering through the stained-glass windows created a kaleidoscope of colors on the polished wooden floors, a fleeting beauty in a house of horrors.

This was where I came to think, to plan, and, more importantly, to learn. The Blackwood family had secrets layered within secrets, and their library was a testament to that. Every volume seemed handpicked to uphold their legacy. Some books were harmless—poetry, history, philosophy. Others were more sinister, written in archaic languages with symbols that twisted and writhed on the page.

Tonight, the air in the mansion felt heavier, the silence deeper. I couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted. The unease that had been my constant companion since marrying Eren had transformed into a cold dread. Tonight, I wasn't here for solace. I was here for answers.

The library in the east wing was the heart of the mansion, a labyrinth of dark wood shelves and dusty tomes. I had avoided it until now, afraid of what secrets it might hold. But tonight, fear was a luxury I couldn't afford.

Slipping out of my room, I moved quietly through the darkened halls, the flickering candlelight casting long, shifting shadows. Every creak of the floorboards felt like a scream in the silence. My heart pounded, but I kept my breathing steady, my steps deliberate.

When I reached the library, I paused, my hand on the ornate brass handle. The door groaned softly as I pushed it open, and I slipped inside, closing it behind me.

The room was vast, its high ceilings lost in shadow. Rows of shelves stretched out before me, their spines whispering promises of knowledge and danger. I lit a small lamp, its warm glow barely piercing the darkness.

I began to search, my fingers trailing over the worn leather covers. The titles were cryptic, many in languages I didn't recognize. But then, tucked away on a lower shelf, I found a journal much like my mother's. Its cover was cracked with age, the leather soft and worn.

I opened it carefully, the pages brittle beneath my fingertips. The handwriting was neat but hurried, the words filling the margins as if the author had been desperate to document every thought before it was too late.

It was a record of sacrifices. Names, dates, descriptions of the rituals performed to sustain the family's immortality. The sacrifices were always outsiders—people lured into the family's web, just as I had been. But one entry made my blood run cold.

"The bride's sacrifice is the most powerful, binding her life force to the family's legacy. Without her, the demon's hold weakens, and the curse begins to unravel."

My hands trembled as I read the line again. I was the bride. I was their key to sustaining this nightmare.

"Sanguis est vitae. Per sanguinem, vinculum aeternum formatur."

Blood is life. Through blood, an eternal bond is formed.

The room seemed to close in around me, the air thick and oppressive. My breath came in shallow gasps as the enormity of my situation sank in. They had chosen me, not just as Eren's wife but as the anchor for their unholy pact. My life was the linchpin of their immortality.

I wanted to scream, to tear the journal apart, but I knew better. Emotion was a weakness I couldn't afford to show, especially here.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway outside, drawing closer. My pulse quickened as I hastily returned the book to its place on the shelf. I barely had time to compose myself before the door creaked open, and Axel stepped inside.

His eyes found me immediately, dark and intense. "Sarah," he said, his voice low. "I thought I might find you here."

I straightened, forcing calm into my voice. "Axel. What do you want?"

He closed the door behind him, leaning against it as he studied me. "I came to warn you. Again."

I folded my arms, meeting his gaze head-on. "About what? The curse? The demon? Or perhaps the fact that I'm little more than a lamb being fattened for slaughter?"

His jaw tightened, but he didn't deny it. Instead, he crossed the room in a few long strides and stopped just short of the table. "You shouldn't be here," he said, his voice low and urgent. "If they catch you—"

"They won't," I interrupted, my fear giving way to defiance. "I'm tired of living in the dark, Axel. I won't be a pawn in their game any longer."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. For a moment, he looked almost vulnerable, a crack in his carefully constructed facade. "You don't understand what you're up against, Sarah. They'll do whatever it takes to keep the legacy intact. Even if it means..."

"I know," I said, holding his gaze. "That's why I need your help."

His eyes flickered with hesitation, conflict warring within him. "You're asking me to betray my family for you."

"I'm asking you to save me," I said, stepping closer. "You told me you love me...Prove it."

For a moment, the tension between us was almost unbearable. His hand reached out, brushing against mine, his touch sending a jolt through me. "I do," he said finally, his voice barely audible. "And I will. But you need to be careful. One wrong move, and they'll kill you."

"I know the risks," I said, my voice steady. "But I won't go down without a fight."

Axel nodded, his expression grim. "Then we'll start tonight."

As we moved deeper into the library, searching for more clues about how to break this damn curse, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. The Blackwood mansion had a way of making you feel exposed, even in its quietest moments. But I pushed the fear aside, focusing on the task at hand. The clock was ticking, and every second brought me closer to the truth—and to the moment when I would have to face the Blackwoods head-on.

For now, I had Axel by my side. But I knew that in the end, I would have to stand alone.

Because in a house of monsters, the only person you can truly trust is yourself.