The Long Way Back | Lady Lesso

Chapter 1

The carriage rattled through the misty woods, its wheels creaking as it rolled over uneven ground. You clutched the edge of the seat, your fingers digging into the worn leather as you stared out the small, foggy window. You could just make out the towering silhouette of the school ahead, its spires looming high into the clouds, split perfectly down the middle—half bathed in light, the other cloaked in shadow.

The School for Good and Evil.

You'd spent months preparing for this day. Months convincing yourself that you deserved to be here. And now that you were on the threshold of the school that decided the fate of fairy tales, your heart was pounding with something close to fear.

A loud caw startled you, and you looked up just in time to see a flock of black birds circling above the gates. The carriage jerked to a halt, nearly tossing you forward, and the driver's gravelly voice broke the silence.

"This is it, lass. The School for Evil."

The heavy iron gates creaked open as if on cue, their sharp points glinting faintly in the eerie light. You stepped out of the carriage, clutching your bag tightly to your chest. Your breath caught as you looked up at the towering structure before you—dark, twisted, and alive with enchantments that made the air hum.

You hadn't expected to be Sorted here. Your whole life, you'd imagined yourself as a potential Ever—a student of the School for Good, with its pristine halls and golden glow. But when the Storian's magic swept you up and deposited you here in the shadowy domain of Evil, you realized that the fairy tale world had other plans for you.

The scent of damp stone and earth filled your senses as you hesitated at the entrance. Students in black robes brushed past you, their laughter sharp and cutting. You tightened your grip on your bag and squared your shoulders. You wouldn't let them see your fear.

"New arrival, I see."

The voice, smooth and low, sent a shiver down your spine. You turned sharply, your eyes meeting those of a woman standing in the archway. She was striking—not just in beauty, but in presence. Her fiery red hair was swept back in an elegant twist, her sharp green eyes piercing as they studied you. She wore a black suit that fit her perfectly, her cane tapping lightly against the stone floor as she approached.

"I'm Lady Lesso," she said, her voice cool and clipped. "Dean of Evil. And you must be..." Her gaze flicked to the small crest pinned to your robe, marking you as a new student. "...Y/N."

You swallowed hard, unsure of how to respond. There was something unnerving about the way she looked at you, as if she could see straight through you, peeling back every layer to expose your deepest thoughts.

"Yes, ma'am," you managed, your voice steady despite the hammering of your heart.

Her lips twitched in something that might have been amusement. "A polite Never. That's rare." She stepped closer, her gaze sweeping over you with an assessing air. "You'll find that manners don't carry much weight here, my dear. Survival, on the other hand... that's a skill you'd best learn quickly."

You nodded, feeling the weight of her words settle over you like a shroud.

"Come with me," she said briskly, turning on her heel and walking toward the winding staircase that spiraled upward into the darkness. Her cane echoed with each step, a sharp and deliberate rhythm that you found oddly mesmerizing.

You followed in silence, your mind racing. Lady Lesso's presence was magnetic, commanding attention without demanding it. She moved with an elegance that bordered on predatory, her posture perfect, her every step deliberate.

As you climbed the stairs, she spoke without looking back. "You may have noticed that this isn't the fairy tale you expected, Y/N. Evil isn't about ball gowns and glass slippers. It's about power. Control. Understanding the darkness within yourself and using it to your advantage."

You hesitated before responding. "And if I don't want to be Evil?"

She stopped abruptly, turning to face you. Her emerald eyes burned with intensity as she leaned closer, her voice low and dangerous. "Then you'll fail. And failure here isn't as simple as being sent home. Failure here... means becoming a footnote in someone else's story."

You felt a chill run down your spine, but you refused to look away. There was something in her gaze that dared you to push back, to prove her wrong.

"I won't fail," you said firmly.

Her lips curved into a faint smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. "We'll see."

She continued up the stairs, and you followed, feeling both exhilarated and uneasy. Lady Lesso was unlike anyone you'd ever met—sharp, enigmatic, and utterly unreadable. There was something about her that drew you in, even as it warned you to keep your distance.

When you finally reached the top of the staircase, she pushed open a heavy wooden door, revealing a dimly lit hall lined with dark stone and flickering torches. "This is your dormitory," she said curtly. "Your roommate will explain the rules. Classes start tomorrow. Don't be late."

With that, she turned and walked away, her cane tapping rhythmically against the floor. You watched her retreating figure, feeling a strange mix of admiration and defiance.

You didn't know what you expected from this place, but you knew one thing for certain: Lady Lesso was going to be a problem.