The moon was high, a pale disc bleeding silver light over the clearing behind the house. Elora stood barefoot beside Mira, a circle of herbs and powdered ash drawn around them in a ritual pattern she'd only seen once before—in the forbidden section of Mira's oldest grimoire.
Mira's voice was low, deliberate. Each word felt heavy, falling like stones into a still lake. The runes carved into the stone bowl before them pulsed faintly, responding to her chant.
Elora fidgeted with the hem of her sleeves. "You're sure about this?"
Mira didn't stop chanting.
"Mira."
Finally, she spoke between verses. "This is the only way."
Elora stared at the shallow pool of silver-black liquid in the center of the bowl. It shimmered like mercury laced with shadows. The essence of Ashbreath, collected from burned herbs exposed to a patient's exhalations. It was inert. For now.
But the ritual would change that.
"You're going to feed it blood?" Elora asked, stepping back. "That's insane. It only attacks humans. If you give it a taste of supernatural magic…"
"Then it will evolve," Mira finished. She dipped a small blade into fire oil and sliced her palm without flinching. Blood welled up, thick and red. She held it over the bowl.
"You're Insane," Elora whispered.
"Maybe," Mira said. "But the plague doesn't fear humans. It mocks them. The only way to lure it toward those who can actually fight it is to open a door. A bridge."
She let the blood drip.
Elora watched, horrified, as it hit the surface. The liquid hissed. It shuddered. For a second, it looked like it breathed.
Then it stilled.
Mira exhaled slowly. Her face was pale, but resolute.
"It knows us now," she said. "It sees us."
_____________________
He hadn't expected the invitation.
He especially hadn't expected to show up with Elias at his side. But when Mira's message reached him, brief and cryptic, Elias had insisted on coming.
"Before we proceed Mira what's your relationship with Elora?" Devin finally asked
Mentioning Elora's name sent a delicious shiver down his spine.
Mira lips curled up slightly.
"Guess"
"Humm..... Mother... No couldn't be right, aha! Aunt, you're her aunt" Elias enthusiastic self answered.
Elora inwardly rolled her eyes at her grandmother's playfulness
"She's my grandmother" Elora answered
Silence
Elias jaw dropped
Devin expression gave off surprise
"Damn, aren't you forty or like something?" Elias muttered
Devin gave him a hard glare
"My bad " He chuckled
"So... What's up"
"If you're walking into something weird," Elias added "I'm not letting you do it alone. Besides, I owe Elora. She saved Mara, even if only for a little while."
Mira closed the door with her usual unreadable expression. Her eyes narrowed at Elias.
"I said come alone, you disobeyed"
"He's trustworthy," Devin said quickly. "If he wanted to expose anything, he would've done it weeks ago."
Mira stared at Elias for a long moment before nodding. "Fine. But if you speak a word of this beyond this room, I will know. And I will not be kind."
"Understood," Elias said, clearly unsettled but managing a shrug. "Scary grandma. Got it."
They followed Mira inside. The house smelled of ash and something spiced—a smell Devin didn't recognize but instinctively didn't like.
Elora stood in the corner, arms folded, gaze distant. She glanced at Devin but didn't speak.
'Damn how does she gets pretty every time i see her?'
Devin bit his cheek
Devin gave her a small nod to acknowledge her, even if he was kinda avoiding her he didn't want to come off as rude.
Mira led them to the back room, where the ritual bowl sat in the center of the floor, surrounded by runes and flickering candles.
"This is what you called us here for?" Devin asked. "What is it?"
"A channel," Mira said. "I gave the plague a new path. It now has the means to leap."
"To who?" Elias asked slowly.
"To any one of us," Mira replied. "We've made ourselves visible to it. Marked. I don't know which of us it will choose. I only know it will choose."
Devin took a step back. "You made yourself—us—targets?"
"If it touches one of the founding families, the others will have to act. They'll no longer see this as a human-only issue."
Devin stared at the ritual. His breath came cold.
Elias gave Devin a 'Yo she's crazy' look
"So you're betting lives on that?"
"I'm betting that it only takes one well-placed strike to force the elite to wake up," Mira said. "And I doubt it will choose randomly. It will want impact. It will want fear."
Elora stepped forward finally. "She means it will likely go after someone high-ranking. A Knight. A Barnes. Someone whose name echoes."
Devin gave Elora a subtle look careful not to stare too long.
Being in the same room as her was a temptation he was trying to fight.
Elias laughed nervously. "Well, that's comforting."
Mira didn't laugh.
"You both need to act normal. Speak of none of this. If the bond between you and Elora deepens, Devin, it may make her more vulnerable. If the plague senses an emotional tether, it might strike her to hurt you."
Devin nodded once, tightly. "So we wait."
"No," Mira corrected. "You stay on the sidelines. I'll handle the consequences."
Devin didn't like it. But in her eyes, he saw no room for argument.
Not tonight.
Devin looked into Mira's eyes and is shocked by the emptiness he sees in them.
What kind of ruthless life had Mira lived that had her making such decisions even if it was to save lives.
Devin wished Mira hadn't resorted to this method
His family
His friends
Elora and Mira herself were all in danger.
But on the other hand he knew words of persuasion would never force the founding families hand to help unless they are concerned.
Letting out a frustrating and tired sigh Devin rubbed his hands through his hair.
'Very soon you'd face a decision more riskier than anything I've done Devin and then you'd understand that with holding will only cost you more ' It was what she whispered to him
Mira's words echoed continuously in his head
Elias dapped Devin's shoulder
He knew Elias wasn't really cool with the plan but humans were dying and the founding families has a cure they refuse to relinquish
He stood up with Elias after offering Mira parting words
He stopped a few steps giving Elora a look that he hoped conveyed all his emotions to her.
Then he walked away with Elias behind him
"Keep cool Elora" Elias said behind him.