The mansion was cloaked in a peculiar kind of silence that morning—a silence not of peace, but of tension. Even the wind that normally whispered through the high arched windows seemed to have stilled, afraid to disturb the undercurrent of unease. The servants moved differently, as though rehearsing each step to perfection, fearful that a single misstep might shatter the fragile surface of the stillness.
In the grand hall, Valefor stood by the tall window, one hand resting behind his back, his expression unreadable as he watched the sky darken unnaturally. He hadn't spoken much since the sun had risen, only giving quiet orders, his normally sharp tongue dulled by something deeper—worry.
Kaelith sat stiffly on the velvet couch, elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped tight. His usually carefree demeanor had vanished overnight. Even his crimson eyes, so often glittering with arrogance, were now clouded with concern.
And Seren... Seren hadn't spoken a single word.
He stood in the corner of the room, arms crossed, staring at nothing in particular. His silence wasn't unusual, but today it was heavy, purposeful. There was a storm brewing in his mind.
The dream had changed everything.
Lyra had seen something she should not have seen—something no human should have been able to access, let alone understand.
She had connected to Adrian in his most vulnerable state: through the spiritual realm. A place veiled in layers, unreachable by any ordinary mind. A place protected by forces even Valefor dared not challenge directly. Yet somehow, a girl—an ordinary girl, no lineage, no training, no mystical background—had breached it. Witnessed visions of Adrian's rage, blood, and a burning dragon—the omen of an ancient power.
"It's not possible," Kaelith finally muttered, breaking the suffocating silence. His fingers tightened. "Not even the old high seers could see Adrian's soul. And yet... she did."
Valefor turned slowly, his gaze narrowing. "Exactly. It defies everything. She should not have been able to see what she saw."
"She could be a threat," Kaelith said grimly. "A planted one. What if she's a spy? What if this contract is just a cover?"
Seren's eyes flicked up for the first time. He looked at Kaelith coldly but said nothing. The question was burning in all their minds, but no one wanted to admit it.
Who is Lyra?
"We've underestimated her," Valefor said darkly. "And we can't afford to keep making that mistake."
"She's kind, yes," Kaelith murmured. "But so are snakes."
"And Adrian?" Seren finally spoke, voice low but laced with tension. "He's returning today. Earlier than expected. He dropped the mission. Something must've happened."
That truth hung in the air like a thundercloud ready to burst.
Adrian never dropped a mission. Not unless something catastrophic occurred.
The pressure in the room intensified. Valefor's hands twitched behind his back. Seren's jaw tightened. Kaelith began pacing.
They all cared for Adrian in their own way. They had served him, bled for him, guarded his secrets and his darkness. And now, this girl—this anomaly—was unraveling everything.
Lyra.
The girl with a sunflower soul.
The girl who wasn't supposed to matter.
The girl who breached a sacred, sealed realm.
The moment the dream had been confirmed as a true vision, everything changed. There was no longer room for leniency, no space for affection. Her presence had shifted the balance, disturbed the fragile threads holding Adrian's world together.
They needed answers. And fast.
---
Lyra felt the tension the moment she opened her eyes. The air was thick, the light pouring through the windows dull and colorless. She rubbed her arms as she sat up in bed, a strange chill spreading across her skin. The mansion was different today—heavier, darker.
Even the maids who brought her breakfast refused to speak. Their faces were stiff, eyes carefully avoiding hers. The silence between them was louder than any scream.
She tried to ask what was happening, why everyone was so cold, but they said nothing. They bowed, placed her tray, and left like ghosts.
Anxiety clawed at her throat.
Did I do something wrong?
She wandered the halls, hoping to find someone who could explain. But no one met her eyes. The tension was unbearable.
Then she heard them.
Muffled voices behind the closed parlor door.
She leaned in.
"She saw the fire... the blood... She felt his pain," Kaelith was saying.
"It's not possible!" Valefor's voice snapped like a whip. "No human should've been able to breach that realm. Not even in their dreams."
Lyra's heart stopped.
They were talking about her.
"She didn't mean to," Seren's voice entered, softer. "I don't think she even understands what she did."
"And that's what makes it worse," Valefor growled. "She doesn't understand the consequences."
Lyra stepped back, hand trembling against the wall. The cold hostility, the stares, the silence—it all made sense now.
They were afraid of her.
They thought she was dangerous.
Just as she turned to run back to her room, a loud, echoing sound shook the hall—the grand doors opening.
He was back.
Adrian.
---
Valefor and the others straightened instantly.
A black mist curled through the hall like smoke, a foreboding signal of Adrian's presence. His aura preceded him—icy, deadly, commanding.
He stepped through the shadows, dressed in his long, dark coat. His midnight hair fell across his face, wet from rain. His eyes—those haunting silver eyes—glowed faintly, betraying the storm raging inside him.
Everyone stood still.
The silence was terrifying.
He didn't speak. He didn't look at anyone.
But when his eyes finally landed on Lyra, who stood frozen at the top of the staircase, something flickered.
Not anger.
Not softness.
Something in between.
She couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.
And then he spoke.
"Lyra. Come."
His voice was calm, but beneath it pulsed something dangerous. She descended the stairs slowly, her legs weak.
As she passed Valefor, he whispered under his breath, "Be careful."
Lyra followed Adrian into the shadows of the west wing. The others remained behind, not daring to interrupt.
They feared not just for Adrian.
Now... they feared for her too.
---