Chapter 38: Unveiling Hidden Connections

The amulet’s glow faded as I carefully placed it back in the ornate box, my mind racing with the implications of our discovery. Nathanial and I exchanged a look, the weight of our newfound knowledge pressing heavily upon us.

"We need to figure out how to use this," I said, closing the box and securing it in my backpack. "This amulet might be the key to stopping Gabriel."

Nathanial nodded. "And we need to do it before he finds out what we’re up to."

As we made our way back up the narrow staircase and out of the hidden chamber, the sunlight streaming through the cottage’s broken windows seemed almost blinding. We stepped outside, breathing in the fresh air, when a familiar voice called out to us.

"Emily! Nathanial!"

I turned to see Olivia Morgan, my ever-curious neighbor, bustling up the path. Her curly gray hair was tied back in a loose bun, and her eyes sparkled with excitement. Olivia had always been the town’s unofficial historian, always digging into the past and uncovering long-fo