Chapter 4
Early morning at the Solace Estate. Adira sits at the kitchen table, sipping coffee while staring at the journal. The silence of the house is oppressive, broken only by the faint creaking of the wooden floors.
Adira (FL)
(to herself)What are you hiding, Kian? And why do I feel like I’ve known you before?
Determined to distract herself, Adira decides to explore the grounds around the mansion. The mist in the forest surrounding the estate clings to the air, giving the place an otherworldly feel. As she wanders through the overgrown garden, she notices the remnants of an old fountain, half-buried under vines.
Adira (FL)
(softly) The fountain from the painting… This must be it.
She crouches down, brushing the vines aside. The stone base is cracked, but something glimmers faintly in the shallow water. She reaches in and pulls out a rusted locket. Opening it, she finds a tiny portrait of a man and a woman.
Adira (FL)
(whispering) Kian and… Eveline?
As she stares at the locket, a sudden chill washes over her. The mist thickens, and a faint voice calls her name.
She spins around, her heart pounding.
Adira (FL)
(shouting) Who’s there? Show yourself!
The voice fades, replaced by the sound of footsteps crunching on the gravel behind her. She turns again, but no one is there. Clutching the locket tightly, she rushes back into the house.
Back inside, Adira sets the locket on the kitchen table beside the journal. She flips through the pages again, hoping for answers. As she does, a faint scent of lavender fills the room, and the edges of the pages begin to glow softly.
Adira (FL)
(startled) What the—
The glowing intensifies, and text begins to appear on a previously blank page. Adira leans in, her pulse racing as the words form.
Journal
Adira, the answers lie beneath the house. Find the truth before it consumes us both.
Adira’s eyes widen, and she slams the journal shut. She paces the room, her thoughts racing.
Adira (FL)
(to herself) This can’t be real. Am I losing my mind, or is this house trying to tell me something?
She takes a deep breath and opens the journal again, but the glowing text is gone. The page is blank once more. Frustrated, she grabs the locket and storms toward the study, where she remembers seeing old blueprints of the mansion.
In the study, Adira pulls open a drawer, scattering papers and dusty maps. She finally finds a rolled-up blueprint of the Solace Estate and spreads it across the desk. Her eyes trace the intricate lines, searching for anything unusual.
Adira (FL)
(muttering) Come on, give me something…
Her finger lands on a section marked "Cellar." It’s connected to a smaller, unmarked room hidden beneath the mansion.
Adira (FL)
(whispering) A hidden room?
Just then, the room grows colder. The light flickers, and a shadow moves across the wall. Adira freezes, clutching the edge of the desk.
Adira (FL)
(nervously) If this is some kind of prank, it’s not funny!
The shadow stops, lingering in the corner of the room. Adira grabs a candleholder as a makeshift weapon and takes a cautious step forward.
Adira (FL)
Who’s there? Show yourself!
The shadow shifts, coalescing into the faint outline of a man. His features are blurred, but his presence is undeniable. He stares at Adira, his voice echoing softly.
Kian (Soul)
You must remember, Adira. The past is the key to everything.
Adira gasps, stumbling backward. She blinks, and the figure vanishes. The room returns to its normal temperature, leaving her shaken.
Adira standing over the blueprint, her resolve hardening.
Adira (FL)
(to herself) If the answers are beneath this house, I’m going to find them. No matter what.
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