Crimson Veil (Book I)

The Breaking Point

Elena sat cross-legged in the middle of the room, her hands resting on her knees as she tried to steady her breath. After what happened last time, she wasn't sure how much further she wanted to push. The rush of magic, the power, it had been intoxicating, but Lucien's warnings still echoed in her mind. Power like that could consume her if she wasn't careful.

Lucien stood nearby, watching her with those intense, calculating eyes. "You're nervous," he said, reading her easily.

Elena glanced up at him, trying to hide her unease. "I'm not nervous, just... cautious."

"Good," Lucien replied, moving closer. "Caution is what will keep you alive. You need to respect the magic. If you treat it like a game, it'll burn you."

Before Elena could respond, the door creaked open, and Dante strolled in, his ever-present smirk firmly in place. "And here comes the lecture about control again," Dante said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Honestly, Lucien, you sound like a broken record."

Lucien shot him a sharp look. "She's not ready for your reckless games, Dante."

Dante raised an eyebrow, moving toward them with a slow, deliberate pace. "You're so terrified of her losing control that you won't let her experience what real power feels like."

Elena sighed, pushing herself to her feet. "I'm still here, you know. You can stop talking about me like I'm not in the room."

Dante grinned at her. "I know you're here, love. That's why I'm saying you deserve to feel the full extent of what you can do."

Lucien's jaw tightened. "She's not a weapon for you to play with, Dante."

Dante chuckled, shaking his head. "No, she's not a weapon. She's something far more dangerous than that. And if you keep holding her back, she's never going to reach her full potential."

Elena glanced between them, frustration rising in her chest. "I can't keep doing this. Every time we start, you two argue. How am I supposed to learn anything if all you do is fight over how to train me?"

Lucien stepped closer, his voice steady and calm. "I'm not fighting, Elena. I'm trying to protect you. I've seen what happens when magic like yours goes unchecked."

Dante, on the other hand, looked entirely unconcerned. "Lucien's idea of protection is just a fancy way of saying control. You've felt it, Elena. You know what you can do. You need to push your limits, not pull back every time it feels too intense."

Elena clenched her fists, the familiar pull of power already swirling in her chest. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

"You won't," Lucien said, his eyes softening. "Not if you trust me. We'll take it slow, step by step."

Dante crossed his arms, leaning casually against the wall. "Or, you could trust yourself. You know your limits better than anyone. You can handle it."

Elena let out a sharp breath, feeling the tug of their opposing philosophies pulling at her again. "What do you want me to do, Dante? Just let it all out, consequences be damned?"

Dante's grin widened. "Exactly. You're holding back because you're afraid of what you'll find on the other side of that power. But the only way to understand it is to embrace it fully."

Lucien cut in, his tone hard. "That's reckless. She's not ready."

Dante shrugged, unfazed. "She'll never be ready if you keep treating her like a child who needs protection."

Elena's frustration boiled over, and without thinking, she snapped, "Enough! Both of you! I don't need either of you telling me what I can and can't handle."