The Long Way Back | Lady Lesso

Chapter 17

The air in the Hall of Shadows still carried the tension of what had just transpired. Lady Lesso could feel the weight of Y/N's presence lingering, even though the girl had left. She had wanted to say more—wanted to push Y/N further, but she knew better than to rush these things. Control, after all, was a lesson best learned through patience. Yet, despite her composed exterior, Lesso couldn't shake the feeling that Y/N might not be ready. Not yet.

As the door to the hall creaked open, Lesso didn't need to look up to know who was entering. The soft hum of light, the scent of flowers—it was unmistakable. Lady Dovey.

"Lesso," Dovey's voice rang through the hall, clear and unwavering. "What have you done?"

Lesso turned slowly, allowing herself a brief smirk before meeting Dovey's gaze. The contrast between them was as sharp as ever—Lesso, standing amidst the darkness of the hall, while Dovey seemed to glow with her warmth and light.

"You always assume the worst," Lesso said coolly, her arms crossing over her chest. "I've simply given her the space she needs to make her own decisions."

Dovey stepped into the room, her golden presence filling the space. It was a familiar feeling, though one that often seemed to press against Lesso like a suffocating force. Where Lesso thrived in the shadows, Dovey thrived in the light. And yet, in a way, they were both equally relentless.

"She's not ready, Lesso," Dovey replied, her voice softer now but still firm. "She's confused, and you're pushing her toward something dangerous."

Lesso took a deliberate step forward, her voice steady, even if the weight of Dovey's words stung more than she'd care to admit. "Dangerous? She's in the School for Evil, Dovey. Everything here is dangerous. It's the only way they learn to survive."

Dovey's eyes narrowed, and her lips pressed into a thin line. There was something behind her gaze—a glimmer of anger, perhaps, or frustration—something Lesso was all too familiar with. "That's not the same, and you know it. You can't just throw her into the fire and expect her to emerge unscathed."

Lesso's lips curled into a knowing smile. "I'm not throwing her into the fire. I'm giving her a choice. Something you never give them. She has to decide what path she wants to take, Dovey. And frankly, you coddle them with light and hope. It's not enough to survive here."

The silence between them grew thick. Dovey, ever the idealist, would never see the value in what Lesso was doing. She was too caught up in her belief that light, hope, and kindness could solve everything. That belief was naive, and it would fail her in the end.

"You talk about survival, Lesso, but there's a difference between survival and destruction," Dovey said quietly. "You can't break them just to prove a point. You can't manipulate her like you've manipulated others."

The accusation hung in the air, sharper than any dagger. It stung, yes, but Lesso did not flinch. She'd heard it before—manipulation—but Dovey didn't understand. Lesso wasn't manipulating anyone. She was simply giving them the tools they needed to wield power. To control their fate.

"I'm not manipulating anyone," Lesso said, her tone cool, almost dismissive. "I'm giving her the chance to embrace what's inside her—the same darkness she's been running from. It's the only way she'll ever become truly formidable."

Dovey shook her head, her brow furrowed with concern. "You think darkness is the answer to everything. You think she can't be strong without becoming like you."

Lesso stepped forward again, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "What do you want me to do, Dovey? Wrap her in cotton and tell her everything will be fine?" She shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "This is the School for Evil. If she doesn't learn to control what she has inside her, she won't survive."

Dovey's eyes softened for a moment, but her resolve did not waver. "That's not the same as teaching her how to be strong. She doesn't need to follow your path to survive this place, Lesso. She needs guidance. Real guidance, not just someone to push her deeper into the shadows."

Lesso's gaze hardened, her lips pressing into a thin line. She could feel the anger bubbling beneath the surface, but she controlled it. Barely. "You always see the worst in me," Lesso murmured, the words almost a sigh. "I'm not forcing her, Dovey. She has the power within her to choose. It's up to her whether she embraces it or not."

For a moment, Dovey remained silent, as if considering Lesso's words. Then, without warning, she turned and walked toward the door, her back to Lesso.

"I hope you're right," Dovey said quietly, her voice soft with a hint of sadness.

The door clicked softly behind her as she left, and Lesso stood alone in the hall, her thoughts swirling. She wasn't sure if Dovey's words had made an impact on her, but something gnawed at her mind. Dovey had always been the one to preach about light, to preach about hope, while Lesso had long since learned that power lay not in the light, but in the ability to control the darkness.

Y/N would have to make her own decision. She would have to choose whether she would become something great, something formidable—or if she would let the shadows consume her. Lesso knew which path would make her stronger. She just had to wait and see if Y/N would be ready to take it.

The school was filled with whispers, with secrets, with promises of power. And Lesso had always known that true strength could only be found in the depths of those very shadows.

But Y/N... she was different.

And only time would tell if she could find the strength within herself.