Crossed Spells

Chapter 13: Growing Suspicions (Part 1)

The sun was barely rising over Ravenswood when Lucas opened his eyes, pulled from his sleep by his father's deep voice calling him from downstairs. He groaned, rubbing his eyes to chase away the last bits of sleep. Lately, he had gotten into the habit of waking up later, taking advantage of the fact that his father left early for work to avoid morning confrontations. But apparently, this morning was going to be different.

"Lucas! Come down immediately, we need to talk!" Damien Blackwood's voice echoed through the house again, leaving no doubt about the urgency of the situation.

Lucas sighed deeply, glancing at Shade who was floating silently near the window. The shadow familiar shook its head slightly, as if to say "You can't escape this time."

"I'm coming, Dad!" Lucas shouted back, reluctantly getting out of bed.

He dressed quickly, checking in the process that the magical marks on his arms were indeed invisible. Since their appearance, he had lived in constant fear that his father would discover them. It was, in fact, the main reason he had avoided training sessions in recent weeks.

Taking a deep breath to gather his courage, Lucas went down the stairs, Shade discreetly following in his shadow. He found his father in the kitchen, sitting at the table with a steaming cup of coffee in front of him. The expression on Damien's face was grave, his dark eyes fixed on his son with an intensity that made Lucas shiver.

"Sit down," Damien ordered, pointing to the chair across from him.

Lucas obeyed, trying to keep a neutral face despite the anxiety rising in him. "What's going on, Dad?"

Damien took a sip of coffee before answering, his eyes never leaving his son's. "I've been watching you these past few weeks, Lucas. You've changed. You go out much more than before, you're distracted during our training sessions... when you deign to attend them."

Lucas swallowed hard, feeling guilt wash over him. He opened his mouth to justify himself, but his father raised a hand to interrupt him.

"That's not all," Damien continued, his voice becoming harder. "I've noticed that you continue to see that girl, Aria, despite my warnings."

Lucas's heart skipped a beat. How could his father know that? Had he been followed?

"Dad, it's not what you think," he began, but Damien interrupted him again.

"I've been patient, Lucas. I've let it slide for a while, hoping you would eventually understand on your own. But it can't continue. This relationship with Aria... it's affecting you too much, and I can't accept that."

Lucas felt anger rising in him, mixed with a dull fear. "You don't even know her, Dad! Aria is..."

"Dangerous," Damien cut in, his voice sharp as a blade. "Maybe not intentionally, but she is. For you, for our family, and potentially for the whole town."

Lucas was left speechless, shocked by his father's words. How could Aria be dangerous? She was the gentlest person he knew. Unless... Could it be that his father knew about her powers?

"I don't understand," he finally said, trying to buy time to gather his thoughts.

Damien sighed, passing a tired hand over his face. Lucas noticed how exhausted his father looked, as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"There's a lot you don't understand yet, Lucas. Things about our family, about Ravenswood... about the Luminosas."

Lucas frowned, frustrated by his father's cryptic answers. "Why can't you just explain it clearly?"

"Because it's not that simple!" Damien exclaimed, slamming his fist on the table. Lucas jumped, surprised by this outburst of anger. "There are forces at play that you can't understand yet. Fragile balances that must be maintained. And your relationship with that girl threatens all of that."