With unsteady steps, a twenty-year-old man made his way down a pristine, paved stone road. Towering trees lined both sides, their canopies casting shifting shadows under the dim glow of the estate's lanterns.
Ahead, a massive gothic-style mansion loomed over the landscape. Perched atop a modest hill, it surveyed the Moroi estate with an air of solemn grandeur and quiet menace.
The estate itself was a walled enclave of opulence, a collection of sprawling mansions interwoven with smaller villages that existed at the outer edge of Eryndor, as did many of the other family estates.
Every resident bore a connection, however distant, to the dominant Moroi bloodline. Their status within this aristocratic hierarchy depended solely on the purity of that connection.
Allegiance was unquestionable among the Moroi. They understood where power resided—who held their fate in steady hands, shielding them from the treacheries of their cutthroat world while demanding unwavering loyalty in return.
They knew the privileges they enjoyed and the price paid for their security. Yet, for all their reverence, Bloodkin were inherently ambitious and manipulative. The most powerful among them never ceased scheming, each harbouring a singular, forbidden desire—to seize the place of their formidable matriarch.
But this boy had nothing to do with any of that. Born to a minor branch of the Moroi living in one of the villages, he had simply never interacted with the real movers and shakers within their extended family, only ever viewing the matriarch's mansion as a distant reminder of who they owed loyalty to.
Families like his lived in relative luxury, certainly in comparison to the rest of Eryndor, but they were essentially the cannon fodder of their family. They ended up in the security forces, the private army, or other dangerous jobs in an attempt to propel their minor branch to a higher level of prominence.
And so it was for Lex.
After his awakening two years ago, he'd been tagged as talented and possessing reasonable potential. This allowed him to sign up for one of the most rewarding jobs the Moroi had to offer their minor branches, and after beating out his many competitors in every test they were given, he was rewarded with the assignment he'd been angling for.
Only now, a day before his assignment was to start, he'd been called to the mansion of the matriarch… and he nearly shat his pants when he got that call.
A young member of a minor branch being called to the main mansion was unheard of. It was, in fact, a truly terrifying prospect, even for someone about to embark on an important assignment.
"What… do you think the Matriach wants with our Lex…?" a woman of indeterminable age anxiously asked the man walking next to her, her eyes glancing constantly at the back of their son in front of them.
"I— I don't know," the man helplessly answered, shaking his head. "I've… always heard the Matriarch is harsh but fair, especially when it comes to family, but… I've only ever seen her from a distance."
"Lex, do you have any idea…?" he asked their son in a worried tone as they approached the mansion, which held their fate within its stone walls.
But Lex didn't listen. His eyes were firmly pointed forward, and his entire collection of brain cells focused on one thing: setting one foot in front of the other.
He hadn't come this far to falter now. Whatever the Matriarch wanted from him, he'd make it through, fulfil his assignment and get his family what they deserved! Yet, in the face of this mansion, he required every bit of his willpower to keep that intention alive.
Soon, they arrived in front of the gate and, after hesitating a moment, rang the bell. They weren't surprised by the lack of guards or servants, as the fate of their young master, and the Matriarch's mourning period, was well known. Then again, that made this whole thing even stranger.
Almost immediately after ringing the bell, the door opened, and a stern Lavinia stepped out. She wore another dark, gothic-style dress that was alluring, domineering, and intimidating, all at the same time. Power, pressure, and bloodline aura radiated off her in waves that instantly made the knees of Lex and his family buckle.
Yet, they remained on their feet and simply bowed deeply… or at least, the parents did, as Lex was rather entranced by the sight of his beautiful matriarch. Her soft, pale, radiant skin, symmetrical face, velvety black hair, and impressive assets caused his young brain to short-circuit and his muscles to freeze.
Fortunately, his parents were quick to react. They each put a hand on Lex's shoulders and forced his back to bend. "Matriarch!" they all greeted reverently, including Lex, after his mind recovered.
Lavinia nodded calmly, her eyes scanning the people in front of her after they righted their spines again. When she spoke, all of their hearts beat faster for various reasons. "I believe I asked only for Lex," she said coldly but with a beautiful voice.
Instantly, the parent's faces paled. The woman's lips parted to respond in a panic, but Lavinia raised a hand. "It's fine," she decreed in a tone that would brook no objections.
Focusing her gaze on the parents, she raised an eyebrow. "I believe you two were there when we assaulted the Lykos estate, correct?" The name of her now-doubly-hated enemy rolled off her tongue with an appropriate amount of venom.
"Y— Yes!" the man quickly nodded, feeling like they'd just been spared the executioner's axe. "It was our honour to fight on behalf of you and our late young master!"
Solemnly, the woman next to him bowed her head. "On that topic, you have our deepest condolences, Lady Matriarch. No matter what, we will make the Lykos pay for their actions!"
Lavinia's response was immediate. "Yes, we will," she nodded with an air of finality that made her audience shudder. "And I thank you for your service that day."
The family of three immediately wanted to refuse her gratitude and state that it was their duty, but Lavinia continued, "Regardless, that's not what I called Lex here for, and it 'was' only Lex that I called for. You can wait here if you like, but Lex will enter alone."
Her eyes turned to the young, still-entranced Lex, and she smirked slightly at his glassy gaze. 'This should be easy,' she chuckled to herself.
"I—" the mother stuttered quickly, her gaze growing more worried. "O— Of course… Lady Matriarch, but… can we ask what this is about?"
Lavinia turned to look at her with a small smirk and a raised eyebrow. "You can always ask…"
Yet, despite her words, neither the mother nor father felt like it was wise to do so. In the end, they could only trust that their Matriarch wouldn't hurt a member of her own family, however far removed he was.
Moments later, the door closed with a finalistic thud, and their son disappeared inside without resistance. Anxious, the parents kept their eyes squarely pointed at the door, hoping for their son's quick and safe return.