Bloodlines of Power (Part 2)

The crystal's glow dimmed as Aria pulled her hand away, her heart still pounding from the surge of energy. The words whispered in her mind echoed through her bones: The power of the Evercrests is yours to wield.

She turned to her friends, still absorbing the weight of everything they had just uncovered. Finn's discovery about his grandfather. The truth about her own lineage. The ancient knowledge hidden away beneath the Silent River.

But there was no time to dwell. The air was shifting, the magic in the chamber beginning to fade, like a door closing behind them.

Quinn adjusted his gloves. "We should go."

Lyric exhaled sharply. "Yeah. Before this place decides to collapse on us."

Finn clapped his hands together. "Right. Time to make our grand exit before the ancient ruins trap us forever. Not that it wouldn't make a cool story, but I'd rather live to tell it."

Kael gave him a look but didn't argue.

With one last glance at the crystal, Aria nodded. "Let's go."

And so, they left the chamber behind, stepping back through the Second Gate and into the open air.

---

The journey back felt different. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, but heavy, as if they all knew that the moment they stepped foot in their homes, everything would change.

For Aria, the weight of her mother's legacy settled in her chest like an iron anchor. She had spent her life wondering about the parts of her mother she never got to know. Now, she wasn't sure she was ready for the truth.

She stood at the threshold of her house, hesitating before pushing the door open.

The scent of spice and burning wood greeted her. Her father was at the hearth, stirring a pot, his brow furrowed in concentration. At the sound of the door creaking, he turned, relief flashing across his face.

"Aria." His voice was warm but edged with worry. "You're back."

She nodded, stepping inside. The familiar warmth of home wrapped around her, but her chest felt tight.

"I found something." The words came out quiet but firm.

Her father set the spoon down. "Something important?"

Aria swallowed. "About our family."

His expression shifted, his shoulders tensing. "Aria—"

"I thought you were the Evercrest," she interrupted, her voice trembling. "But it was Mom. You took her name when you married."

A long silence stretched between them.

Then, finally, her father sighed. He pulled out a chair and sat down, rubbing his temples.

"I should have told you sooner," he admitted. "I just… I wanted to protect you."

Aria's hands clenched into fists. "From what?"

"From the weight of it all." He met her gaze, his eyes filled with something she couldn't quite place. "Your mother carried a legacy—one that people would do anything to control. I thought if I kept the truth buried, you'd be safe from it."

Aria's heart ached. "But I wasn't safe. I've been hunted, questioned, thrown into this whether I wanted it or not."

Her father's jaw tightened. "And that's exactly why I didn't want you to know. Because once you did… there would be no turning back."

She took a deep breath. He wasn't wrong. But it still hurt.

"Did Mom know?"

His gaze softened. "She knew what it meant to be an Evercrest. She knew the risks, the expectations. But she believed in something bigger. She believed in you."

Aria's throat tightened. "And you?"

A small, sad smile touched his lips. "I believe in you too."

She exhaled slowly. The anger, the frustration—it didn't disappear, but it settled.

She wasn't alone in this.

---

Meanwhile, across town, Finn stepped into his home, his mind still spinning.

His mother, Elyra, was seated by the fireplace, a book in her lap. She looked up as he entered, her expression brightening.

"Finn! You're back."

He hesitated. How was he supposed to just… say it?

Instead, he sat beside her. "Mom… I found something."

Her smile faded at the serious tone in his voice. "What is it?"

He inhaled sharply. "About Grandpa."

Elyra stilled. "What do you mean?"

Finn licked his lips, then spoke the words that had been echoing in his head since the ruins.

"He was a Healer."

Elyra's breath caught.

Before she could respond, a voice spoke from the kitchen.

"Well. I suppose the secret's out."

Finn turned, startled.

His grandmother stepped forward, wiping her hands on a cloth. Despite the years in her eyes, her presence was strong—formidable, even.

"Grandma?" Finn frowned. "You knew?"

She sighed, taking a seat across from them. "Of course I did."

Elyra's voice was barely above a whisper. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

Her mother folded her hands. "Because your father made me promise not to."

Silence fell over the room.

Then Finn spoke, his voice hoarse. "Why would he hide it? Why would he hide something like that from his own family?"

His grandmother's eyes softened. "Because, child… he was afraid."

Elyra swallowed. "Afraid of what?"

Her mother sighed. "Afraid of what would happen if the world knew."

She turned to Finn, her gaze sharp but kind.

"You are your grandfather's legacy, Finn. His gift runs through your veins. But so do his fears. And it's up to you to decide what to do with that."

Finn's heart pounded.

His whole life, he thought his magic was just… his. Something random, something unexplained.

But it wasn't.

It was a legacy. A history. A secret that had been buried—until now.

And as he sat there, absorbing it all, he realized something.

He wasn't afraid.

For the first time in his life, he understood.

And he wasn't going to run from it.

Not anymore.

---

That night, as Aria lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, she thought about everything that had changed.

Her mother's legacy.

Finn's bloodline.

The truths they had uncovered.

And the ones still waiting for them.

She turned her head, looking at the pendant resting on her nightstand—the only piece of her mother she had left.

Her fingers brushed against it, and she closed her eyes.

The time has come. The truth will be revealed.

Aria took a slow, steady breath.

They were just getting started.