The silence in the tent was heavy as everyone stared at Zephyr. Laura could almost feel the weight of his revelation pressing down on all of them.

"What do you mean by family curse?" Dante asked, his voice unusually gentle. "I've heard rumors, but..."

Zephyr's jaw tightened. His eyes darted to Laura before fixing on some distant point. "The Duskbane bloodline has been... tainted for generations by my first ancestor. It is a darkness that whispers in our minds. That tries to take control."

Laura stepped closer to him, drawn by the pain in his voice."I've know all about the curse from Nikolai. Is that why you zone out sometimes?"...