Crossed Spells

Chapter 8: The Library Incident (Part 2)

Lucas leaned forward, his eyes shining with a curiosity he could no longer contain. "Like what?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Aria, sitting across from him, seemed to radiate a new energy. Her fingers gently brushed the yellowed pages of an old book, as if she feared it might crumble under her touch. "Look at this," she said softly, pointing to a particular paragraph. "It says here that the Lucida had the power to 'illuminate the deepest darkness', while the Nigra could 'plunge the brightest day into darkness'."

Lucas felt his heart race. These words resonated within him in a way he couldn't explain. It was as if, for the first time, he was reading a description of what he felt deep inside himself. He leaned even closer, his arm brushing against Aria's in the process. A spark seemed to fly at this contact, making them both jump slightly.

"That's... fascinating," he said, trying to keep his voice neutral despite the excitement rising within him. He struggled to control the trembling of his hands as he turned another page of the book. "Do you think it's possible? People capable of controlling light or darkness?"

Aria hesitated, her eyes avoiding his for a moment. Lucas could almost see the wheels turning in her mind, as if she was carefully weighing each word before speaking. "I don't know," she finally said, her voice barely audible. "They're just legends, aren't they?"

But there was something in her voice, a note of uncertainty that told Lucas she knew more than she was letting on. He felt a surge of adrenaline, as if he was on the verge of discovering a long-kept secret.

"But imagine if it were true," he insisted, unable to contain his enthusiasm. "If these powers really existed. How do you think it would work?"

Aria looked up at him, and Lucas was struck by the intensity of her gaze. There was a depth in her eyes that he had never noticed before, as if she held an ocean of secrets behind her blue irises. "Why are you so interested, Lucas?" she asked, her voice tinged with a mixture of curiosity and wariness.

Lucas felt his heart skip a beat. He was on the edge of the precipice, ready to reveal everything. But his father's voice echoed in his head, a stern warning against the dangers of revelation. He swallowed his words, opting for a more cautious response. "I'm just... curious," he said, trying to appear casual. "It's a fascinating part of Ravenswood's history, don't you think?"

Aria stared at him for what seemed like an eternity, as if trying to pierce the defenses he had so carefully erected. Finally, she nodded slowly. "Yes, it is. Fascinating."

They continued their research, delving deeper into the history of the founding families. Hours passed without them realizing it, absorbed as they were in their discoveries. Lucas noticed that Aria seemed particularly interested in the accounts of conflicts between the Lucida and the Nigra. She eagerly scanned the pages, her eyes lighting up with each new piece of information.

"It almost seems like they were destined to fight each other," she murmured, browsing through an old journal. Her fingers traced the lines of faded writing, as if she was trying to absorb the history through her touch. "As if their powers were incompatible."

Lucas felt a shiver run down his spine. These words awakened in him a fear he had always had, a fear he had never dared to express. "Do you think that's true?" he asked, his voice betraying his concern. "That light and darkness can't coexist?"

Aria looked up at him, and Lucas was surprised by the intensity of her gaze. There was something in her eyes, a deep understanding that seemed to go beyond mere historical research. "I don't know," she said softly. "Maybe it depends on the people who control them."

These words seemed to float between them, charged with a meaning that neither dared to fully explore. Lucas felt his heart beat faster, as if he was on the verge of making a crucial discovery.