The Long Way Back | Lady Lesso

Chapter 19

The days had blurred together since that quiet conversation in the dim-lit corridor. You couldn't help but feel the pull of Lady Lesso's words, echoing in your mind at unexpected moments. Your thoughts often wandered back to that rare softness in Lesso's tone when she'd spoken about balance, and the way her eyes had lingered on you—intense, focused. There was something undeniably magnetic about the woman, something that had begun to pull you in deeper than you cared to admit.

Yet, the deeper you fell into this pull, the more uncertain you became about what exactly you were feeling. Was it respect? Admiration? Or was it something more? The way your heart fluttered in Lesso's presence, the way your stomach tightened when their fingers brushed, told you it was something more, something far more complicated than you'd been prepared for.

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One afternoon, you found yourself in the grand library, a place that had once been a sanctuary, but now felt oddly empty without the sound of Lesso's voice in the air. You had been flipping through an ancient tome on dark magic when the soft click of boots on stone caught your attention. The temperature in the room seemed to drop slightly as you looked up.

Lady Lesso stood in the doorway, her crimson cloak a stark contrast against the sea of dusty bookshelves. Her presence was as commanding as ever, but there was something else in her eyes today. She wasn't just the powerful Dean of the School for Evil; today, she was something else entirely—something that made your breath catch in your throat.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," Lesso's voice was a velvet hum that sent a shiver down your spine.

"No, not at all," you replied quickly, a little too quickly. You cleared your throat, your fingers tightening around the book in your hands. "I was just reading."

Lesso's gaze softened, though it was subtle—almost imperceptible. "What are you reading?" she asked, her voice still smooth but with an edge of curiosity.

"Ancient runes," you answered, trying to sound casual, though your pulse was quickening. "Trying to understand the symbols used in dark magic rituals."

Lesso stepped forward, her eyes scanning the open pages of the book. "Fascinating," she murmured, a small, appreciative smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "And what have you learned?"

You paused, your thoughts scattering for a moment. You weren't entirely sure if Lesso was asking because she was genuinely interested, or if it was some kind of test. Still, you couldn't help but feel a warmth spread through your chest at the rare attention. "I think... I think I'm starting to understand them," you said, closing the book and meeting Lesso's gaze. "But the more I learn, the more questions I have."

Lesso raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching. "Questions are good. They keep you sharp." She leaned against one of the bookshelves, her eyes never leaving yours. "What's troubling you?"

Your stomach did a flip, and you swallowed hard. Was it really so easy to read you? The truth was, there were too many questions—too many feelings you didn't know how to sort through. "It's just... everything," you confessed. "I've been thinking a lot about what you said the other day... about control and balance. I think I understand, but I'm not sure how to get there."

For a moment, Lesso was quiet, her gaze never wavering. Then, with a deliberate calmness, she stepped closer to you. "Balance comes with experience," she said softly, her tone almost patient, a far cry from her usual icy demeanor. "It's not something you can force. It's something you learn to embrace, bit by bit."

Your breath caught as Lesso's nearness became impossible to ignore. There was an undeniable tension between you, thick and palpable, and you felt your heart beat faster in your chest. You had never felt this way before—not about anyone, let alone someone as complex as Lesso.

"You make it sound so easy," you murmured, your voice low, almost breathless.

Lesso chuckled softly, the sound a quiet ripple in the stillness of the room. "It's not easy," she admitted. "But it's worth it, once you understand the weight of it."

There it was again—the tenderness, just for a brief moment, before her cool exterior slipped back into place.

You couldn't help herself anymore. "What if I'm not sure I'm ready for it?"

Lesso's gaze softened even further, a flicker of something that could have been sympathy—or something more—passing through her eyes. "No one is ever truly ready," she said, her voice quiet but filled with a wisdom that made you feel as though you were hearing something you weren't supposed to. "But the only way forward is to take the step anyway. To trust in your own strength, even when it scares you."

The words hung in the air like a weight, heavy with their meaning. Your heart beat loudly in your chest. You wanted to say more, to ask more—but something held you back. Lesso was still watching you, as if waiting for something.

Before she could say anything else, Lesso straightened, her expression returning to its usual sharpness. "I'll leave you to your studies," she said, her voice once again commanding. "But remember, Y/N—balance, control. They're not just words."

You nodded, your chest tight as Lesso began to turn to leave. But then, before the woman could fully step away, you blurted out, "Lady Lesso?"

Lesso stopped, her back still to you, but her posture shifting, as if she had been expecting this. She turned her head slightly, enough to meet your eyes over her shoulder.

You swallowed, your throat dry. "Do you ever... get scared?"

The question seemed to hang between them, heavy with a kind of vulnerability you had never intended to show. But it had slipped out, unbidden, the words as raw as they were real.

Lesso studied her for a long moment, her expression unreadable. "Fear is a tool," she said finally, her voice soft but firm. "It's how you use it that matters."

You nodded slowly, though you weren't sure you understood entirely. You weren't sure of anything right now—except for one thing.

You are falling for Lady Lesso. And that terrified you more than anything else.