The Long Way Back | Lady Lesso

Chapter 18

The days following the trial in the Hall of Shadows were heavy with an unsaid tension. For you, the weight of Lady Lesso's teachings hung like a shadow, lingering in every corner of your thoughts. The lesson had been brutal, and though the chaos had calmed, the echoes of the trial remained. Yet, there was a strange comfort in knowing that, at least for a moment, Lesso had acknowledged your presence—not as a student, but as something more.

You couldn't stop thinking about your last interaction with her in the hall. The way Lesso's eyes had narrowed with approval, how she had watched you closely throughout the trial. Despite the cold, calculating exterior Lesso always wore, you couldn't shake the feeling that the woman was, in some unspoken way, watching over you.

It wasn't long before your paths crossed again, as you often did in the darker, quieter corners of the school. You had been making your way toward the library when you spotted Lesso standing by one of the towering stone columns, her red cloak billowing like a flame in the dim light. The sight of her was almost magnetic, drawing you in despite yourself.

"Lady Lesso," you called softly, though your voice carried through the empty hallway.

Lesso turned, her sharp eyes landing on you as she stepped closer. There was no sign of surprise in her gaze, no frown of disapproval—only a quiet watchfulness that you had grown used to.

"You've been quiet lately," Lesso remarked, her voice a low purr, smooth and measured. "Is something troubling you, Y/N?"

You hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "I've been... thinking," you admitted, her your feeling clumsy in the still air. "About the trial. And what you said about leadership... about control."

Lesso's gaze softened ever so slightly, though the edge in her eyes remained. "Leadership is not just about having power over others. It's about having control over yourself." She paused, studying you intently. "You do understand that, don't you?"

You nodded, the words resonating in your chest. You had spent your whole life running from the shadows, afraid of what you might become, but now... now, there was something stirring inside you, a hunger for that very control Lesso spoke of.

"I think I'm starting to understand," you said quietly, almost to yourself.

For a brief moment, Lesso studied you with a strange, unreadable expression—something between approval and concern. "You've made progress," she murmured, her tone softer than usual.

Your heart skipped a beat. The words were simple, but coming from Lesso, they carried weight. You wanted to say more, wanted to ask about the woman's own struggles, her own journey to power, but the words seemed to stick in your throat. There was something almost fragile in the air between you, something unspoken, but it was too fragile to break just yet.

"You've been pushing yourself too hard," Lesso continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "Don't forget to rest."

You blinked, taken aback by the genuine concern in her tone. It was a side of Lesso you hadn't expected. The woman was ruthless, a master of manipulation, but here, in this quiet moment, there was something else beneath the surface.

"I'll be fine," you said, your voice steadier now. "I just... need to keep moving forward."

Lesso's eyes narrowed slightly, as if weighing her words. "You're stronger than you realize," she said, her voice low, almost as if she were sharing a secret. "But even strength requires balance."

Before you could respond, a soft voice interrupted you. "I see you two have found each other again."

Both women turned, and Lady Dovey stepped into the dim light, her golden presence almost too bright for the shadows surrounding them. She wore a knowing smile, but there was something calculating behind her gaze.

Lesso straightened, her demeanor shifting instantly, the soft moment between them disappearing as if it had never existed. "Dovey," Lesso greeted, her voice cool, but the edge of tension between them was palpable.

Dovey's smile didn't waver, but her eyes lingered on you for a moment too long, her gaze scrutinizing. She tilted her head slightly, almost as if studying the space between you and Lesso.

"You've been spending a lot of time together," Dovey remarked, her tone light, though you could sense a certain sharpness beneath her words. "Is everything all right, Y/N?"

You, still processing the strange tenderness you had felt from Lesso, nodded quickly. "Yes, Professor Dovey. Everything's fine."

But Dovey wasn't convinced. Her eyes flicked back to Lesso, a knowing look passing between them. "You're pushing her too hard, Lesso," Dovey said softly, but there was no mistaking the weight of her words. "Y/N is still finding her way."

Lesso's jaw tightened, but she did not respond immediately. Instead, she turned her gaze toward the stone columns that surrounded them, the silence stretching between them like a taut rope. When she spoke again, her voice was low, measured. "Y/N will find her path. And when she does, she'll be ready."

Dovey gave a slight, almost imperceptible shake of her head. "I just hope you know what you're doing," she said quietly, before turning to leave, her golden presence fading into the distance.

Once Dovey was gone, the tension that had filled the air evaporated, leaving only the quiet hum of the school around them. You turned to face Lesso again, your heart still racing. You didn't know what had just passed between the two women, but you felt the weight of Dovey's words—felt it more than you cared to admit.

"I didn't know you cared about me that much," you said, your voice quiet but direct.

Lesso's gaze softened just slightly, her lips twitching as if she might smile, though she quickly smoothed the expression away. "You're not just a student to me, Y/N," she said, her voice low. "You have potential. Don't squander it."

You felt a warmth spread through your chest at the words, and though Lesso's tone remained firm, there was a sincerity to them that you couldn't ignore.

As the silence fell between you again, you realized something. It wasn't just the lessons Lesso was teaching you—it was the way she saw you, the way you were being shaped by her. Maybe there was more to this relationship than you had ever expected.

And as you stood there, under the heavy weight of Lesso's gaze, you couldn't help but feel that, despite everything, you were beginning to understand just what Lesso had been trying to teach you all along.