NOVEL NEXT Chapter 11: The Ritual
The cold winds whipped through the streets of Saint Petersburg, where the bare trees on either side of the road swayed as if whispering secrets no one could decipher. Irina walked alongside Dmitri, her heavy footsteps betraying her hesitation, yet she couldn't resist the magnetic rhythm of his presence.
The street they entered was shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by the faint glow of a few aged lamps casting shadows on the snow-dusted pavement. Silence hung thick in the air, yet every step she took beside him felt like a journey closer to something unknown—something larger than her desire to flee.
Snowflakes gently descended from the sky, a soft and delicate offering, as though nature sought peace that humans could not grasp. Their frozen breaths rose like invisible confessions spoken without words. Irina felt everything—the crunch of snow beneath her boots, the echo of Dmitri's footsteps, and the warmth of his hand when he suddenly took hers.
Irina (thinking): "What am I doing here? Why can't I resist him? This man... He binds me without touch, draws me without words. What is this spell he has cast over me?"
They stopped before an old iron door, its surface corroded with rust, secured by a heavy lock. Dmitri pulled a small key from his coat pocket, unlocking it with a smooth motion. The door creaked open, revealing the entrance to an abandoned building.
Irina (hesitant): "What is this place?"
Dmitri (calmly): "A place of truth, Irina. The truth you've been running from."
She followed him, her steps cautious, as darkness wrapped around her like a shroud. A chill ran through her, but she kept moving, driven by a curiosity that overpowered her fear.
The building had been abandoned for decades. Cracked walls were cloaked in dust, and the ceiling bore small holes that let in faint moonlight. The ground floor was open and littered with broken furniture, as though it had borne witness to a life abruptly ended.
Dmitri (gesturing to an old staircase): "Come. The upper floor awaits us."
She hesitated briefly, but his gaze pierced her hesitation, compelling her to follow him upward.
The upper floor was a single, spacious room, entirely devoid of furniture. The wooden floor creaked beneath their steps, and the walls were bare save for a solitary window overlooking the distant city. In the center of the room lay a chalk-drawn circle, encircled by flickering candles.
Irina (uneasy): "What is this? A ritual?"
Dmitri smiled, his enigmatic expression only deepening her unease. He approached her, placing his hands gently but firmly on her shoulders.
Dmitri (in a deep voice): "It's not a ritual—it's a revelation. Tonight, I will show you something you will never forget, Irina."
His words whispered in her ear like a melody she couldn't escape:
Dmitri (softly): "I love you, I love you, I love you...
You are my angel, sent from the faraway heavens..."
The words echoed in her ears, touching her heart directly, leaving her defenseless against his charm.
Dmitri began to walk within the circle, his steps slow and deliberate, his eyes never leaving hers. He lit a new candle from the flame of another and stared at her with an intensity that seemed to test her resolve.
Irina (in a faint voice): "What are you doing?"
Dmitri (smiling): "Opening a window into yourself, Irina. The part of you even you hide from."
She felt trapped between his power and allure, and the mystery that cloaked everything around her.
He approached her slowly, then took her hand and led her to the center of the circle.
Dmitri (with quiet authority): "Close your eyes."
She obeyed, feeling the warmth of the surrounding candles draw closer, as though embracing her. She could hear only his voice, and those words that repeated in her mind like an endless song.
Dmitri (whispering): "I love you, I love you, I love you..."
It felt as though she was falling into another world—a world hazy and disoriented, yet devoid of fear, replaced by a strange sense of surrender.
She opened her eyes abruptly, only to find that Dmitri had vanished. She stood alone in the room, the circle gone as if it had never existed.
Irina (thinking): "Was it real? Or just another of his illusions?"
There was only one thing she knew for certain: her life would never be the same.