Chapter 2

A true smile touched Theron’s lips as he answered the call.

"Lilith." His voice was so gentle it broke my heart. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

A sweet, fragile female voice came from the crystal, thick with unshed tears.

"Brother Theron, I'm having trouble with the festival potions… Some of the formulas are so difficult, and…"

Her voice grew even more pitiful.

"And Cerys kept telling me the formulas were hers. She said I wasn't allowed to use them. She threatened me… said she would expose me in front of everyone if I dared to present them at the festival."

A silent scream tore through my soul.

Those are my formulas! I surged toward Theron, desperate to make him hear. She stole everything!

But I was just a ghost, a whisper no one could hear.

A cold glint appeared in Theron's eyes.

"She threatened you?"

"I don't want to fight with her, but… but this festival is so important to me." Lilith's voice was fragile. "It's my first chance to contribute to the clan. If I fail, everyone will think I don't deserve to be part of this family."

"Nonsense." Theron's tone was firm and warm. "You are my most precious sister. No one can question your place here."

That one sentence ripped my heart to shreds.

His most precious sister.

Then what was I?

The one who shared his blood, who grew up by his side?

"As for those formulas," Theron's voice turned to ice, "she dares claim them as hers? I'll make her confess she stole them from you. She thinks she can steal your moment? Dream on."

"Brother…"

"Don't worry. I'll handle everything. You just focus on the festival. Leave the rest to me."

Lilith’s voice was now syrupy sweet.

"Then… can you come early on the day of the festival? I have a surprise for you."

A surprise?

Ice flooded my soul.

Don't go! I shrieked, the sound lost to the living world. She's a demon, Theron! She'll kill you!

But he couldn't hear me.

He couldn't hear my desperate warning.

"Alright, I'll be there early," Theron said, his voice full of affection. "How could I miss a surprise from my little sister?"

"Okay, it's a date then. I love you, brother."

"I love you too, Lilith. Get some rest. Don't make me worry."

The call ended.

I could only stare at the gentle smile on his face as hopeless rage consumed me.

He had never once said "I love you" to me.

Not once.

Not even when we were children, when our parents were still alive.

Theron put the communicator away and walked back to my ashes.

He crouched down, his hand hovering over them.

I held my breath.

Please, recognize me.

When we were kids, we found an ancient text in the clan library.

It spoke of a secret unique to our bloodline.

Even in ash, an imprint of the soul remains. A powerful enough mind, one deeply connected to the blood, could read it.

Theron closed his eyes and began to focus.

I saw his expression shift slightly.

He felt something!

"This blood signature…" He frowned, his eyes narrowing. "It's… familiar."

Just then, his communicator rang again.

"Gods," he muttered, glancing at the caller ID. "It's Aunt Anna."

My heart leaped.

Aunt Anna. After our parents died, she was the only elder who never blamed me.

Theron answered the call.

"Aunt Anna, I'm busy right now…"

"Theron, where is Cerys?" Anna’s voice was strained with worry. "I haven't seen her in five days. The Blood Moon Festival is almost here. She shouldn't be absent."

"She's throwing a tantrum," Theron said, his voice sharp with irritation. "She's jealous of Lilith hosting the festival, so she's disappeared for attention."

"That's not like her. Cerys would never…"

"She's always been a manipulative liar," Theron cut her off harshly. "Look, I have a case to deal with."

He ended the call abruptly.

My soul trembled.

A troublemaker. A liar. No. A manipulative liar.

In his eyes, that's all I was.

Theron stood up in frustration, the flicker of recognition forgotten. He had just missed his chance to identify me.

At that moment, a young vampire appeared at the church entrance.

He looked frantic, practically running inside.

"Lord Enforcer!" he cried, falling to his knees before Theron. "Please, you have to help me!"

"Get up and speak," Theron said with a frown.

"My sister is missing!" the young vampire's voice shook. "She hasn't been home in days! We had a fight a few days ago, she left in a rage, and now I can't reach her at all. The blood-link is silent!"

Tears welled in his eyes.

"I'm scared… I'm scared something's happened to her. Please, help me find her. I can't lose her. She's all I have left in this world!"

His voice was choked with genuine, desperate worry.

I watched this boy weep for his sister, and then I looked at my brother, who couldn't care less that I was gone.

The contrast was a blade twisting in my soul.

I closed my eyes.

If I still had a body, I would have run out of tears by now.

The brother who once held my hand under the full moon and swore to protect me forever.

The Theron who once said that as long as he was alive, he would never let anyone hurt me.

He was gone.

The man standing here was a stranger, filled with nothing but disgust and prejudice for me.