Crossed Spells

Chapter 7: Family Tensions (Part 1)

Dawn was barely breaking on the horizon when Lucas opened his eyes, pulled from his restless sleep by the familiar sound of his father bustling about in the kitchen downstairs. He lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling of his room, his mind still foggy from the strange dreams that had haunted him all night. Dreams filled with dancing shadows and blinding light, familiar faces and others he didn't recognize. And at the center of it all, Aria.

Lucas shook his head, trying to chase away these images. He couldn't afford to be distracted, not today. Not when he knew what awaited him.

As if to confirm his thoughts, his father's voice echoed from the bottom of the stairs. "Lucas! Up! We have a lot to do today."

With a sigh, Lucas got up and started getting dressed. He knew his father wouldn't tolerate any delay, especially not these days. Since the party, since Aria's arrival in town, Damien Blackwood had become even stricter and more demanding than usual.

When he went down to the kitchen, Lucas found his father preparing breakfast. The smell of freshly ground coffee and scrambled eggs filled the air, but Lucas wasn't hungry. His stomach was knotted with apprehension of what was to come.

"Sit down," Damien ordered without turning around. "You'll need strength for today's training."

Lucas obeyed in silence, observing his father's tense back. There was something in his posture, in the way his shoulders seemed to carry the weight of the world, that suddenly struck him. For the first time, Lucas realized how... old his father looked. Tired.

"Dad," he began softly, "is everything alright?"

Damien froze for a moment, then turned around slowly. His face was a mask of impassivity, but Lucas could see the tension in his eyes. "Why this question?"

Lucas shrugged, uncomfortable. "I don't know. You seem... preoccupied lately."

Damien stared at him for a long moment before sighing and sitting across from him. "Lucas," he said, his voice suddenly very serious, "there are things you don't understand yet. Responsibilities that have weighed on our family for generations."

"Then explain to me," Lucas pleaded. "I'm not a child anymore, Dad. I can understand."

Damien shook his head. "It's not that simple. There are secrets... truths that can only be revealed at the right time. And that time hasn't come yet."

Frustration rose in Lucas. "When then? When will you trust me?"

"It's not a matter of trust," Damien replied, his voice hardening. "It's a matter of protection. Of responsibility. Our family has a role to play in this town, a role you don't yet fully understand."

Lucas felt anger rising within him. "How am I supposed to understand if you don't explain anything to me? You always talk about tradition, responsibility, but you never tell me why!"

"Because it's not time yet!" Damien exclaimed, slamming his fist on the table. The noise echoed in the silent kitchen, making Lucas jump. "You're not ready, Lucas. Not as long as you can't control your powers, not as long as you let yourself be distracted by... by that girl."

Lucas froze. "Aria? What does she have to do with this?"

Damien looked away, as if he had said too much. "Nothing. Forget it."

"No," Lucas insisted. "You know more than you're saying. Who is she really? Why is she so important?"

Damien remained silent for a long moment, seeming to struggle internally. Finally, he sighed. "The Luminosas... their family has a history with ours. A complicated history."