Lyanna stood at the threshold of the small, dimly lit cabin, her eyes narrowed as she studied the woman before her. The flickering light from the hearth cast shadows over the room, and the heavy scent of herbs filled the air. Alice's grandmother, known to most as Enid, sat quietly at the table, her hands folded neatly in front of her, though her posture remained tense.
"Enid," Lyanna began, her voice sharp but controlled, "I've done my research. And I know what you've been hiding. The girl Alice—she's not what she claims to be, is she?"
Enid's heart skipped a beat. She had expected this moment to come eventually, but not so soon. Not when Alice was still so vulnerable, still so unaware of the full truth about her own origin. She had hoped to protect Alice for just a little longer, to keep the dangerous secrets buried. But Lyanna was relentless, a force that couldn't be ignored.
"I don't know what you mean," Enid replied calmly, her voice deceptively steady. "Alice is a student at Blackthorn Academy, nothing more."
Lyanna's lips tightened. "I know better than that. I know she's hiding something—something dangerous. A mermaid, isn't she? A last survivor of their kind. You kept her hidden all these years, kept her away from the world." Her eyes gleamed with a mixture of suspicion and realization. "Tell me the truth, Enid. What are you really hiding from me?"
Enid's pulse quickened, but she maintained her composure, meeting Lyanna's gaze squarely. She had to lie. She had to protect Alice at all costs, even if it meant deceiving the one person who could unravel everything.
"I've already told you," Enid said, her voice unwavering. "Alice is just a normal girl. She has nothing to do with your... mermaid rumors." She paused for a moment, weighing her next words carefully. "You're wrong, Lyanna. There is nothing special about her."
Lyanna studied her for a long moment, the tension in the room palpable. She seemed to be searching for something in Enid's eyes, some sign of deceit. But after a few moments of silence, she finally nodded, her expression hardening.
"You are lying," Lyanna said flatly, her voice cold. "But I will let you have your secrets—for now. However, know this, Enid: if I find out you're hiding the truth from me, if I find out you've been lying about Alice's origin, there will be consequences."
Enid nodded, forcing a tight smile, though her insides churned. She knew Lyanna could be trusted with nothing less than the full truth, but she wasn't ready to reveal that truth yet. Not until Alice was stronger. Not until the time was right.
Lyanna turned and walked toward the door, her long cloak sweeping across the floor like the dark wings of a bird of prey. But just before she exited, she glanced back over her shoulder.
"Mark my words, Enid," she said quietly. "I will be watching you—and her."
With that, Lyanna left, the door closing softly behind her. Enid exhaled a long breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Her hands trembled slightly as she stood up and walked to the window, peering out at the darkening woods beyond. It was always the calm before the storm. But this time, it felt different. The storm was already here.
---
As Enid turned away from the window, her eyes fell on the large crystal ball sitting on a small table in the corner of the room. It had been a gift, a promise—one that had been made many years ago by Alice's mother. Luna.
Enid's heart tightened as she crossed the room and gently touched the surface of the crystal ball. The cool, smooth surface was warm from the lingering magic that had always surrounded it. She had kept it safe for all these years, as Luna had asked her to, but the memory of that night haunted her.
It had been a thousand years ago, yet it felt like yesterday.
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Flashback
Enid stood in the dimly lit chamber, her hands trembling as Luna handed her the crystal ball. The air was thick with the weight of the magic that pulsed from it, and Enid could feel the heavy burden of what Luna was asking of her.
"Luna," Enid whispered, her voice filled with worry, "this is too much. You're asking me to keep her safe, but what if—"
"I have no choice," Luna interrupted, her voice breaking. "I need you to protect her, Enid. The child… Alice… she's the last of us. I've opened the Baal gate, and the forces of this world will never forgive me for it." Her eyes were filled with unspeakable sorrow, and Enid could see the fear etched deep in her friend's gaze. "They'll come for her. They'll come for my child."
"But what about you?" Enid asked, her voice choked with emotion. "What will happen to you?"
Luna's face twisted in pain. "I have made my choices, Enid. And now I must face the consequences. But please, I beg you—promise me you'll keep Alice safe, no matter what happens. Promise me you'll keep her hidden until she's ready."
Enid could see the desperation in Luna's eyes, the raw vulnerability that only a mother could feel. She didn't want to make this promise—not because she didn't want to, but because she feared for the future. She feared that one day, the very child she was promised to protect would be the one to bring about her own destruction.
"I swear, Luna," Enid said softly, her hand shaking as she took the crystal ball from her. "I'll keep her safe. No one will find her. I'll raise her as my own."
Luna nodded, her face filled with both relief and sadness. She pulled Enid into a tight embrace. "Thank you, my dear friend," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Thank you for everything."
---
End Flashback
Enid stared down at the crystal ball, her fingers gently tracing the intricate runes that had been carved into its surface. She had kept it safe all these years, even as it seemed to pulse with a growing energy that she couldn't fully comprehend. She had done what Luna asked of her. She had protected Alice, raised her as her own, and kept the truth hidden. But the time was coming—the time when Alice would have to learn who she really was.
Alice's mother had given her the crystal ball for a reason. It was a key. It was meant to help unlock Alice's true potential, the power that lay dormant inside her. But Alice couldn't know that yet—not until she was ready. Not until she understood the weight of the legacy she carried within her blood.
The weight of her mother's choices. The weight of the past.
Enid's mind raced as she stared at the crystal ball. She could feel the tension growing, the pressure mounting. Alice was getting closer to the truth. And no matter how hard she tried to protect her, the day would come when the past would finally catch up with them.
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