Daena crossed her arms, her expression softening slightly. "That's all we ask. For now."
Liria nodded, muttering sothing about needing her bed, and trudged off toward her room. She hadn't even reached the first step before Daena called after her, "And don't you think this ans you're off the hook! Training resus tomorrow!"
Liria groaned but didn't argue, dragging herself up the staircase. Enara smirked, watching her retreat before following at a leisurely pace, clearly enjoying her friend's misery.
Once Liria was out of earshot, the air in the room grew heavier. Daena let out a long sigh, her usual tough deanor faltering slightly.
"Those flas," Verida said, breaking the silence. "They're not normal."
Nyssara nodded, her lilac eyes filled with thought. "We all assud they were so sort of magical anomaly a harmless variation. But after today? It's clear they're not."
Daena frowned, pacing the room. "I've been watching her since she was a child. She's never shown any signs of being more than what she appeared to be a human. And now… this?"
Verida's golden eyes glead sharply. "Daena, she used royal fire. Our fire. That isn't sothing anyone outside our bloodline should even be able to touch without it consuming them."
"Which makes no sense!" Daena snapped, frustration seeping into her tone. "If she were part of the royal bloodline, I'd know. She doesn't have horns, her aura isn't demonic, and she's—" She stopped, her voice catching.
"Go on," Nyssara urged gently, though her gaze was piercing.
Daena sighed. "She's human. Or, at least, I thought she was. I found her near a ruined temple. She was just a child, barely alive, surrounded by bandits. Nothing about her scread demon, let alone royalty."
Nyssara exchanged a look with Verida. "The temple. What do you know of it?"
Daena's jaw tightened. "Not much. It was a crumbling ruin when I found her. The only thing notable about it was the markings ancient, barely legible. It was clearly built to contain sothing powerful, but there was no sign of what."
"Could it have been a prison?" Verida asked, her voice low.
"A prison?" Daena echoed, her eyes narrowing. "What are you implying?"
Nyssara hesitated before speaking. "The royal family has records of such places. Temples that were actually containnt sites for beings too dangerous to roam freely. One in particular stands out a site where the Dark Sovereign was sealed."
Daena stiffened. "The Dark Sovereign? That's a myth. A bedti story to scare fledgling demons into obedience."
"It's no myth," Verida said grimly. "She was real. My ancestors sealed her after she nearly destroyed the royal family and plunged the demon realm into chaos. Her fire was said to be unmatched, burning blacker than the void itself."
"That doesn't an Liria is connected to her!" Daena snapped, though her tone lacked conviction. "She's clumsy, stubborn, and reckless, but she's not a destroyer. She's nothing like the Sovereign."
"She lost control today," Nyssara said softly but firmly. "Her flas consud her, Daena. She transford into sothing unrecognizable. If you hadn't been there, who knows how far it would've gone?"
Daena ran a hand through her silver-streaked hair, frustration evident on her face. "I raised her. I know her better than anyone. She's not so reincarnated demoness or secret heir to an ancient evil. She's just…"
"A mystery," Verida finished for her. "One we can't ignore anymore."
The room fell into silence, heavy with unspoken fears.
Finally, Nyssara spoke. "We need answers, Daena. If she truly is connected to the Dark Sovereign, even unintentionally, it could put her and all of us in danger."
Daena's hands clenched into fists. "I won't let them take her. No matter what."
Verida placed a hand on Daena's shoulder. "We're not saying she's a threat. But we need to be prepared. If the court finds out, they'll demand an explanation and action."
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"She's my granddaughter," Daena said, her voice low and fierce. "I'll protect her. From the court, from herself, from anything. She's mine to protect."
Nyssara's gaze softened. "Then we start with the temple. If that's where you found her, it may hold the key to her origins."
Daena nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But whatever we find, it stays between us. The court doesn't need to know unless it's unavoidable."
Verida and Nyssara exchanged a glance but nodded in agreent.
"And what about Liria?" Verida asked. "Do we tell her?"
"Not yet," Daena said firmly. "She's already afraid of herself. Let's not give her more reasons to doubt who she is."
Nyssara leaned back in her chair, her elegant features tight with thought. "You understand, Daena, this isn't just about her. If Liria's powers are tied to sothing as destructive as the Dark Sovereign, we're not only risking our family but the entire realm."
"I know that," Daena snapped, pacing the room. "Do you think I'd let her run wild if I thought she was a threat? She's my granddaughter! I raised her with my own hands!"
Verida crossed her arms, her piercing golden eyes fixed on Daena. "And as much as you love her, love won't stop her if she loses control again. What happens if next ti, you're not there to contain her? Do you think she'll hold back for anyone else?"
"She's not a monster," Daena growled, her fists clenching.
"No one said she is," Nyssara interjected calmly, though her lilac eyes were filled with a quiet intensity. "But power like that isn't benign. It has a will of its own, a hunger. And if Liria can't control it, then it will control her."
Daena stopped pacing, her shoulders tense. "So, what's your point? You're saying we should just… get rid of her? Is that it?"
Verida's expression darkened. "We're saying that if—if—she becos a danger to the realm, we won't have a choice. Protecting her doesn't co before protecting our people."
Daena's tail lashed angrily behind her. "You're talking about killing her. My granddaughter. The child I saved. The one I—"
"The one who nearly leveled an entire forest today," Nyssara interrupted, her voice quiet but firm. "Daena, if it cos to that, it won't be about what you feel. It will be about what needs to be done."
Silence fell between them, heavy and suffocating. Finally, Daena spoke, her voice low and fierce. "If it cos to that, I'll be the one to do it. But until then, she's mine. And no one lays a hand on her without going through first."
Nyssara and Verida exchanged a grim look but didn't argue.
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