Bloodlines of the Damned

The Shadow's Grip

The night after their conversation, the academy is quiet, but the air is thick with unspoken tension. Lyra is still processing what Vane revealed to her, but now she's being drawn deeper into the world she's tried to avoid. Meanwhile, Vane is grappling with his own fears and decisions-what's the price of caring for someone who's been erased from your world?

POV: Lyra's perspective

The morning after the Full Moon Ceremony arrived with a bitter cold. Lyra woke early, her mind too restless to sleep. The words Vane had said to her echoed in her mind: "They've erased your memories. They've made sure you forget."

Her hand tightened around the edges of her blanket as she sat up in bed, the weight of the revelation pressing on her chest. How could she have helped him when they were children? Why had her memories been erased, and why hadn't she questioned it until now? The more she thought about it, the more fragments of memories resurfaced-memories of a boy she had once cared for, but they felt so distant, like they belonged to someone else.

But Vane remembered, she thought bitterly. He remembered, and I didn't. He's been carrying that burden for years, watching over me.

A sharp knock at her door broke her thoughts.

"Lyra, it's time for class," came the voice of Elara, one of the girls from her dormitory. Elara was always bright and cheery, a stark contrast to Lyra's usually somber mood.

"Yeah, I'm coming," Lyra said, though she didn't feel like facing anyone today, especially not after last night. The truth about Vane, about House Erebus, and her own forgotten past, weighed heavily on her. She felt like she was standing at the edge of a cliff, unsure whether to jump or retreat.

As she dressed and prepared to leave, her thoughts kept drifting back to the courtyard, to that moment with Vane. There was something about the way he'd looked at her, something between fear and longing. He cared for her-she was sure of it now-but could she trust him? Could she trust herself?

POV: Vane's perspective

Vane stood by the large, arched window of the library, his fingers absentmindedly tracing the edge of an old leather-bound book. The scene outside was serene, the academy's sprawling campus covered in a light dusting of snow. But inside, Vane was anything but calm. His thoughts raced, twisting in on themselves.

He had expected the conversation with Lyra to be difficult, but he hadn't anticipated the depth of his own feelings. Seeing her confusion, the flicker of recognition in her eyes when she spoke about their childhood-it had torn at something deep within him. He wanted to protect her, but there were too many dangers lurking in the shadows.

He knew his family would never allow him to step away from his role. House Erebus was built on power, on control-and the secrets they kept weren't just for show. His father's ambitions were far-reaching, and those ambitions had never once included the well-being of anyone who didn't serve the family's interests.

But Lyra... She was different. He couldn't explain it. The way she had reached out to him, comforted him when they were children, it had been the first and only time someone had truly seen him-not as a weapon, not as an heir, but as a person.

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration boiling over. I can't protect her from everything. Not from my family. Not from... them.

A knock on the door broke his thoughts.

"Enter," he called, turning toward the door.

The door opened slowly, and in stepped Thorne-a tall, imposing figure with sharp features and dark, calculating eyes. He was one of the senior members of the Erebus family and Vane's closest ally in the academy. Thorne's role was to keep Vane on track, ensuring he never strayed too far from the family's will.

"Vane," Thorne said, his tone smooth but commanding. "We need to talk."

Vane didn't smile. "About what?"

Thorne closed the door behind him and moved closer, his expression darkening. "I've heard whispers. You've been speaking to that half-blood girl, Lyra, more than usual. You know that can't continue. Her connection to you is a liability."

Vane's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

Thorne didn't flinch. "You're too close to her. You've made a mistake, and you know it. The Erebus family has its eyes on her, Vane. She's dangerous-she doesn't even know what she is. But we do."

Vane's blood turned cold. "What are you implying?"

Thorne leaned in, his voice low. "I'm implying that she's more than just a half-blood. She's linked to something much older. And much more powerful than even your family's bloodline. If you continue to protect her, Vane, you'll be putting everything at risk."

Vane stood rigid, his fists clenching. "You don't know anything about her."

Thorne smiled darkly. "I know enough. And I know that if you're not careful, she will bring about more destruction than you can imagine. Your father won't let it slide. You know what happens to threats."

Vane's vision blurred with rage, but he fought to keep his voice steady. "Lyra is not a threat. She's a person."

Thorne's smile widened, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. "Then you're more naïve than I thought."

POV: Lyra's perspective

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Lyra moved through the halls of Noctis Academy like a ghost, her thoughts far away, tangled in the web of her past. It was as though she were seeing the world for the first time-everything seemed darker, more dangerous. But the weight on her shoulders wasn't just from the revelation about her memories; it was the growing realization that someone, somewhere, had been pulling the strings all along.

She barely paid attention to her classes, her mind constantly drifting back to Vane, and the way he had tried to protect her. But how could she trust him when his family was the one controlling everything? If Vane's father had been behind the memory erasure, what else was he capable of?

As the sun began to set, Lyra found herself on the balcony again, overlooking the academy grounds. The cold air stung her face, but she welcomed the bite-it cleared her head, gave her something to focus on.

Then she saw it-an unfamiliar figure walking across the courtyard toward the main building. He was tall, his features obscured by the shadows, but something about him was unmistakable.

Thorne.

Her heart raced. She recognized the man from her previous encounters, but she had never been this close to him before. There was something off about him-something cold and calculating in the way he moved.

Before she could step back, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. He was looking straight at her.

In that moment, Lyra knew she wasn't just being watched. She was being hunted.

POV: Vane's perspective

Vane stared at the door to his dormitory, his fingers trembling slightly as he held the brass doorknob. His mind was still reeling from Thorne's warning, the implications of it weighing on him more than he wanted to admit. If Thorne was right... if House Erebus was after Lyra, then it wasn't just his place at the academy that was at risk-it was her life.

He had to make a choice.

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He had been so close to telling Lyra everything, but now... now it might be too late.