Chapter 6 The Thorne in their side

The name "Silas" hung in the air like a poisonous vapor, choking the fragile hope that had begun to bloom between Elara and Dante. The ruthless Don's expression hardened, suspicion warning with a dawning understanding of the personal stakes now involved for the last enchantress.

"Silas Thorne ", Dante repeated, the name alone growl. "Who is he?"

Elara's breath hitched. "He....he was someone from my past. Someone who knew about my magic, about my lineage. I thought he was....gone". The memory of Silas, with his silver tongue and eyes that held a disturbing glint of ambition, sent a shiver down her spine. She had been young, naive, desperate for connection in a world that feared her. He had preyed on that vulnerability.

"Gone how?" Dante pressed, his gaze unwavering.

"There was....an accident ", Elara said vaguely, unwilling to delve into the painful details of Silas's obsession with dark magic and the catastrophic consequences that followed. "I believed he perished".

"Clearly not", Dante said grimly. "And he has your amulet".

Elara nodded, a cold dread settling in his stomach. The amulet hadn't just been a sentimental trinket, it was a key, a focal point for the very magic that could bind the Hunger. In Silas's hands, it was a dangerous weapon, potentially even a tool to further the entity's awakening.

"Why would he help this....Hunger?" Luca interjected, his fear still

"Silas always craved power" Elara said, her voice low. "Forbidden power. He delved into things he shouldn't have. He might see the Hunger as a means to an end, a force he can control, or even become a part of". The thought was horrifying. Silas wielding the power of the voidwalker was a nightmare scenario.

Dante's jaw tightened. "We need to find him. And the amulet". He turned to Luca. "Pull every contact, every informat. I want to know where Silas Thorne has been hiding and where he might be now".

Luca nodded quickly, his earlier fear now replaced by a familiar sense of purpose. "Understood, Boss". He moved to make the call.

Dante turned back to Elara, his expression a complex mix of concern and a newfound respect. He was no longer just dealing with something deeply personal to her, something that had clearly haunted her past.

"Tell me everything about Silas Thorne ", he said, his voice softer than she heard before. "Any weakness, any obsession, anything that might give us an edge"

Elara hesitated, the memories swirling like dark eddies. "He was....brilliant, in a twisted way. He was fascinated by ancient lore, by the spaces between worlds. He collected forbidden artifacts. And....he was obsessed with my family's magic, with the power to bind and control". A chilling thought struck her. "He might even know more about the ritual than I do ".

The realization was a bitter pill to swallow. The man who had betrayed her trust might hold the key to saving them all.

As Luca barked orders into his phone, Dante led Elara to a lavishly furnished study, the opulent surroundings a stark contract to the dusty confines of her workshop. He poured her a glass of amber liquid, which she suspected was far more potent than it smelled.

"Drink", he commanded softly, "you look like you've seen a ghost". She took a hesitant sip, the warmth spreading through her, momentarily easing the icy dread.

"Silas....he always believed that true lay in understanding and controlling the darkness", Elara continued, the memories flooding back. "He saw my family's magic not as a shield but as a key to unlock something greater, something....primal".

"And he thinks the Hunger is that 'something '?" Dante's eyes were dark with understanding.

Elara nodded grimly, "He always sought to transcend limitations, to break the natural order. The Hunger....it represents the ultimate chaos, the ultimate power. He will be drawn to it like a moth to a flame, believing he could master it".

The thought of Silas attempting to control such an entity was terrifying, and yet, knowing his arrogance, entirely plausible.

"We need to find him before he can use the amulet to strengthen the Hunger's hold on his world ", Dante said, his voice hard with determination. "Before his twisted ambition unleashes something we can't stop". He looked at Elara, a new intensity in his gaze. "And Elara....whatever happened between you and Silas in the past

....we need to put it aside, we need to work together ".

Elara met his gaze, seeing a flicker of something beyond the ruthless Don__a man who understood the gravity of the situation, a man willing to bridge the gap between his world of magic.

"Agreed", she said, a fragile sense of resolve hardening within her. The ghosts of her past had returned, and this time, she wouldn't run. She would fight.