"Stop, please this isn't necessary, Aunt Missy. I think I can survive a few hours without eating. I'm not even hungry. There's no need for this."
Serena stepped between them before either could react. She knew she was lying her stomach had been aching since morning, hollow and restless but she also knew pressing the issue would only make things worse. The general did not look like a man one should test, and Missy looked like she was standing on the edge of something dangerous.
She moved closer to the general, feeling the weight of his presence immediately. It was like standing near a storm quiet, restrained, but capable of destruction at any moment.
"We're all on the same page here, right, Mrs. Smith?" Serena called out, forcing a lightness into her voice.
Mrs. Smith's flushed face peeked out from behind the counter, her eyes wide with alarm. "W–well, yes, yes, of course. There's no need to fight especially here," she said quickly, sweat glistening on her forehead while the rest of her remained safely hidden.
The general straightened, the tension draining from his posture as swiftly as it had appeared. His expression returned to its usual cold neutrality.
"Yes, Ms. Serena," he said evenly. "I assure you, preparations will be made for whatever you wish to eat once we arrive."
Without another word, he turned and left the room.
"Aunt Missy, are you—" Serena began.
"Stop worrying about me," Missy interrupted, forcing a stiff smile that did not reach her eyes. "That's what I'm meant to do."
She followed after the general, her shoulders rigid. Serena hesitated before turning back to Mrs. Smith, lifting her hand in a small wave.
"Tell Sofia I said goodbye, okay?"
Mrs. Smith nodded silently as Serena stepped out of the inn.
The black SUV waited beside the building like an intruder from another world. It felt out of place, sleek, modern amid a town that seemed determined to remain trapped in another century. Apart from electricity and WiFi, nothing here felt current.
Missy climbed into the back seat and gestured for Serena to sit beside her. Serena obeyed, not wanting to provoke another confrontation. The general took the front passenger seat, while the driver his eyes hidden beneath a cap much like the general's nodded politely at Serena.
She wondered briefly how either of them managed to see properly.
The car pulled away.
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Missy twitched beside her, muttering under her breath. Sometimes she laughed softly, bitterly. Other times she scoffed or shot sharp glares toward the general. The cycle repeated until Serena could bear it no longer.
"Why do the elders want to meet me?" she asked.
The general lifted his head slightly, meeting her gaze through the rearview mirror. The brim of his cap shadowed his eyes, obscuring their color.
"It's routine, Ms. Serena," he replied. "The school is integral to this town's heritage. We must ensure that anyone attending poses no threat to the students."
His eyes lingered on her reflection longer than necessary. He could hear her heartbeat, soft, steady. Alive. The sound stirred something deep within him, something he had not felt in centuries.
"I don't think I could harm anyone," Serena said quietly. "I promise."
His eyes widened almost imperceptibly.
She really doesn't remember, he thought. Does she truly not know who she is?
His mind betrayed him, dragging him back to that night, the cold, lifeless weight of her body in Xavier's arms. The blood. The screams. His own body failing him as death claimed them both.
This time will be different, he vowed silently. I won't fail her again.
He closed his eyes briefly, steadying himself.
Serena misread his silence as displeasure and shrank back into her seat, remaining quiet for the rest of the journey.
The elders' residence loomed ahead like a grave carved from stone.
It was desolate no trees, no flowers, no signs of life to soften its cold gray exterior. Massive stone walls rose high into the sky, guarding colossal iron gates that dwarfed anything Serena had ever seen.
"Now I understand why this town is so private," she murmured, swallowing hard.
A sense of dread settled deep in her chest.
"This way, Ms. Serena," the general said, stepping out of the vehicle. "Don't worry. Nothing will happen. I promise."
He extended his hand to help her down.
She hesitated, startled by the gentleness in his voice, but accepted his help. The moment their hands touched, the general froze.
His eyes no longer hidden burned a vivid red, filling with tears.
You're back. You're finally back.
Serena felt an inexplicable chill but withdrew her hand, unaware of the storm raging behind his composed exterior. She stared up at the towering gates and began walking toward them.
Behind her, the general stood rooted to the spot.
"Now you understand why I did what I did," Missy said quietly, stepping beside him. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "You vowed to protect her. We failed her last time. We can't fail her again, Edmund. Please you have to help me."
He exhaled shakily.
"When did you know?" he asked, a tear slipping down his face.
"The day I was sent to kill her," Missy admitted, staring at the ground. "That's why I couldn't do it."
Edmund clenched his jaw.
"We can't let Ileus find out," he said. "He wouldn't hesitate just like the others. Every girl who resembled her… he slaughtered them."
Missy followed his gaze to Serena, who stood before the gate, tracing its carvings with trembling fingers.
"He won't find out," Missy said firmly. "And if he does, it'll be too late. The wolves are coming. Their scent grows stronger every day. She woke them just as the prophecy foretold."
Edmund's fists tightened.
"If the wolves were awakened by her… then that means—"
"Michael," Missy finished softly. "Yes. He's stirring too."
They stood in silence, the weight of centuries pressing down upon them.
"Cursed be the century," Edmund whispered.
"When the wolves awake," Missy replied.