Thomas led Emilia through the winding corridors of Ashwood Manor, the shadows seeming to grow longer and darker with every step. They walked in silence, the only sound being the creaking of the old wooden floorboards beneath their feet.
Finally, Thomas stopped in front of a door that Emilia had never noticed before. It was hidden behind a faded tapestry, and it looked like it hadn't been used in years.
"This is it," Thomas said, his voice low. "The gallery."
He pushed the door open, revealing a long, narrow room filled with old portraits. Emilia's eyes widened as she stepped inside, taking in the array of faces staring back at her.
The portraits depicted the history of Ashwood Manor, showing generations of the family's ancestors. But what caught Emilia's attention were the later portraits, the ones that showed a marked change in the family's demeanor.
The earlier portraits showed happy, smiling faces, but the later ones were darker, the subjects' eyes seeming to hold a deep sadness. Emilia's eyes landed on one portrait in particular, a woman with piercing green eyes and long, curly brown hair.
"Elizabeth," Emilia breathed, recognizing the woman from the diary.
Thomas nodded. "Yes, that's her. The portrait was painted just before she...before she died."
Emilia's eyes locked onto Thomas's, searching for answers. "What happened to her?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Thomas hesitated, then seemed to make a decision. "Come," he said, leading Emilia to the far end of the gallery.
There, hidden behind a velvet curtain, was a portrait that Emilia hadn't noticed before. It was a depiction of Ashwood Manor itself, the walls and towers looming large. But what caught Emilia's attention was the figure standing in the foreground.
It was a woman, her face twisted in a malevolent grin. Emilia's skin crawled as she realized that the woman's face was not just a product of the artist's imagination – it was a portrait of someone real.
"Who is that?" Emilia asked, her voice shaking.
Thomas's eyes seemed to bore into her soul. "That's the one they call the Shadow Lady," he said, his voice low. "The one who haunts Ashwood Manor."
Emilia's eyes widened in horror as she realized the truth. The Shadow Lady was not just a myth – she was real. And she was watching Emilia, waiting for her.