Chapter 24: A Sacrifice of Love

Days merged into weeks, and yet there was no word from Eleanor. Emma and Nathaniel were getting desperate. They had searched every nook and corner of the town; she was nowhere to be found. It was then, at the time when everybody had already lost all hope, that this new figure emerged in Eldridge Falls; his name was Silas, and he told people he was some sort of traveller on his way to some city far, far away. Silas was a mystery unto himself, intrigue wrapped up. When he spoke, it was in this other, stranger sort of accent; his eyes seemed to haunt him always. People in town avoided him, but he was fascinating, as it were, in the case of Emma and Nathaniel. Silas did seem to know more about the town and its history than any other people did. He spoke about hidden passages and secret societies, ancient rituals, and dark magic. Apprehensive at first, Emma and Nathaniel, while Silas was writing down detail after detail, started bit by bit, to believe he might be telling the truth. One evening, Silas led Emma and Nathaniel through a room hidden beneath the old library. Curious symbols and artefacts of ancient origin lined the room. "This was the meeting place of the Order of the Veil," Silas said, "a secret society that has run Eldridge Falls for centuries." Emma and Nathaniel stared at him, both wide-eyed in wonder. Neither had even heard of such an order as the Order of the Veil. "The Order is responsible for much of the tragedy that has befallen this town," Silas added. "They are a powerful force for evil." Just as Silas was about to continue, there was suddenly a noise, putting them into a panic; someone was coming. Nathaniel and Emma immediately dragged Silas into hiding to watch as a group of hooded figures entered the room. Mumbling something in an ancient tongue, their voices echoed around the chamber. It was a preparation for some sort of ritual. She knew she had to try to stop them, as did Nathaniel. They ran from cover and stood in the face of the hooded figures. A fight ensued. Emma and Nathaniel fought gallantly, but they were a few against many. It seemed like they had just about gotten overrun when a figure emerged from the shadows. It was Eleanor. Free from her kidnappers and back in town, Eleanor fought along with Emma and Nathaniel until they emerged victorious against the hooded figures. It was then, those moments when their joy of victory was in the air, that another threat appeared. A figure stood at the door, cool calculated eyes fixed on them. A woman; her face shrouded in shadow. In a voice equally as chilling, she spoke, "You have meddled in affairs that you do not understand. Now, you shall pay the price for your meddling." With that, she whirled and disappeared into the darkness. But Emma and Nathaniel knew their problems were just getting underway. The Order of the Veil was out there, and they wouldn't stop until Eldridge Falls lay in cinders. But it isn't until a new, chilling threat closes in on the town that Emma and Nathaniel must ask themselves whether everything they believed about the witches-themselves-especially Silas-can ever be trusted. The truth might drag everyone they love into the dark-and nothing will ever be the same again.