The Devil's Embrace

Madeline Rose had only ever worked in her father's local blacksmith shop and occasionally helped her mother at the farm. Her skin had become tanned from the hot sun, but despite all of this, she did not complain. Even though she didn't come from a wealthy home, she was content. However, her life turned upside down when she stumbled upon a darkness that refused to leave her alone. There was him, a man cloaked in mystery and malice, a presence that sent chills down her spine. His eyes, shrouded in shadows, held a depth of darkness that seemed to swallow the light around him. When their paths crossed, Madeline felt a cold dread wash over her, as if she had invited a malevolent force into her world.