Lila stood alone in the chamber, the weight of the serpent's power still heavy inside her. Every breath she took felt like she was inhaling fire and ice at once, and her mind, though clearer now, still felt like it was under siege. The images, the voice, the strange, dark knowledge that now swirled through her thoughts—it was all so overwhelming.
But there was something else, something worse. The fact that she was no longer just Lila—the woman who lived to fight, who had always trusted in herself. She was now bound to something older, something darker.
The serpent.
The legacy that had been passed down to her. The power that had been hidden in her blood for generations. She had no idea what to do with it. And Lucian, that damned man, had only made things worse. He didn't want her to be some puppet. He wanted her to embrace the curse and use it. To control it.
Her fists clenched, nails digging into her palms as anger coursed through her veins. Why him? Why did he have to be right about everything?
Taking a deep breath, Lila turned and headed for the exit of the temple. The door loomed before her, heavy and ancient, but it had never felt so suffocating. She stepped through it, blinking against the harsh sunlight outside, but the world didn't seem any clearer. The weight of the darkness in her chest seemed to pull her down, like gravity itself was trying to crush her.
She needed answers. She needed to understand what the serpent's legacy truly meant. And, despite everything in her telling her to avoid Lucian, to go on her own way, she knew she couldn't do this alone.
Lila reached the edge of the temple grounds, staring out at the sprawling forest. Her eyes caught sight of a figure in the distance, moving through the trees with a quiet grace. Her breath caught in her throat.
It was him.
Lucian.
The last thing she wanted was to follow him, to accept that maybe he was right about everything. But as much as she fought against it, something deep inside her—something linked to the serpent's power—was drawing her toward him. Maybe it was the curse, or maybe it was the simple fact that he knew more about what she was facing than anyone else.
Taking a steadying breath, Lila pushed through the dense underbrush and followed him.
Lucian was waiting by a small, secluded clearing when she arrived, the setting sun casting long shadows over the forest floor. He was leaning against a tree, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable as always. But this time, Lila saw a flicker of something else in his eyes—something like anticipation.
"You followed me," he said, his voice almost amused.
Lila didn't reply immediately. Instead, she stood there, her body tense with indecision. She wanted to turn back, to run far from him, far from everything. But she couldn't. The serpent's presence was too strong, and she needed to know more about it, about what it meant for her future.
Finally, she spoke, her voice quiet but firm. "I need answers."
Lucian's lips curved into a small, knowing smile. "Of course you do. And I can give you those answers. But you'll have to trust me first."
Lila shook her head, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "I can't just trust you. You've been hiding things from me. This… this power inside me—it's not something I can just control. It's like it's eating me from the inside out. I can't—I don't know how to stop it."
Lucian stepped forward, his gaze softening just slightly. "I never said it would be easy. The power you carry is ancient, tied to the very fabric of this world. But it is not the curse you think it is. It can be a gift, Lila. It's up to you to decide how you wield it."
"I don't want it," she shot back, her voice rising with a mix of anger and fear. "I didn't ask for any of this! I just want to live my life—without being hunted, without being some… monster!"
Lucian's expression grew darker, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he were weighing something in his mind. He took another step forward, his presence overwhelming.
"You think you can just walk away from this? From what you are?" His voice lowered, dangerous and almost cold. "You think you can run from the serpent's legacy, from the very thing that is written in your blood? Lila, there is no escape."
She took a step back, her breath hitching as the tension between them thickened. "I'll find a way."
Lucian's gaze softened, but the danger remained. "You don't understand, do you? The serpent's curse has already begun to unravel your world. You'll need more than just strength to survive it. You'll need allies."
Lila shook her head, her heart pounding. "I don't need anyone. I can do this myself."
"No," Lucian said, his voice a sharp contrast to her defiance. "You need me. And you need the others. The ones who are like you. The ones who are bound by the same bloodline."
Lila's mind reeled at the suggestion. Others?
Lucian took another step closer, his expression softening, though the shadow of his intent remained. "The serpent's curse isn't just yours, Lila. There are others—other families, other legacies, all tied to the same ancient force. You're not alone in this. But you will be if you don't learn how to work with them."
Lila's mind spun, and for a moment, she almost felt dizzy with the weight of his words. Others?
"Who are they?" she asked, her voice betraying the smallest flicker of curiosity.
Lucian's smile was cold, calculating. "That's what we'll find out. Together."
The silence stretched between them as Lucian waited for her response. Lila wanted to refuse him, to walk away and fight this battle on her own. But she knew, deep down, that she couldn't.
Her world had already changed. She had already crossed a line. And there was no going back now.
"Fine," she said, her voice almost a whisper. "I'll work with you. But only until I have the answers I need."
Lucian nodded, his eyes gleaming with something unreadable. "That's all I ask."
He turned, motioning for her to follow. The weight of what was ahead pressed down on her, but Lila steeled herself. She didn't know where this path would lead, but she knew one thing for certain—she was no longer running from the serpent's legacy.
Now, she was facing it head-on.