Chapter 15 - The Thing Beneath the HouseThe chamber erupted into chaos.
My mother pulled me toward the stairs.
Lena grabbed my husband.
His father stood between us and the black hand.
“Go!”
We ran.
Behind us came a terrible sound.
Not a roar.
A whisper.
Hundreds of voices speaking at once.
I reached the chapel.
The black mark burned through my skin.
My husband collapsed beside me.
His palm was bleeding heavily.
Lena knelt beside him.
“He's losing too much blood.”
My mother looked at the red book.
“There's only one way.”
“What?”
“The original bride must choose.”
Lena stared at me.
“Choose what?”
My mother whispered:
“Who carries the debt.”
I looked at my husband.
Then at Lena.
Then toward the chapel floor.
“No.”
My mother grabbed me.
“You must choose.”
“Why?”
“Because the family agreement gave the bride authority.”
I opened the red book.
One page remained blank.
At the top were three names.
Mine.
Lena's.
My husband's.
Below them was one question:
WHO WILL PAY?
I couldn't breathe.
My husband shook his head.
“Don't choose me.”
Lena said:
“Choose me.”
My mother cried.
I looked at both of them.
Then I saw something strange.
The black mark on my wrist had begun fading.
Not spreading.
Fading.
I turned toward my father-in-law.
He stood at the chapel doorway.
Blood covered his shirt.
“What did you do?”
He smiled weakly.
“I made my choice.”
Then he collapsed.
I ran to him.
In his hand was the metal key.
He whispered:
“The agreement isn't the curse.”
“What is?”
He looked at the altar.
“The person who signed it.”
My mother froze.
We all turned toward her.
She began stepping backward.
“No.”
My heart stopped.
My mother whispered:
May you like
“I never signed it.”
But her face told me she was lying.
