Chapter 32: Lana's Return
The carriage rumbled to a halt at the grand gates of the Kinlion estate, and Lana Kinlion stepped out into the cool evening air. The familiar stone paths of the manor stretched out before her, the statues of past Kinlion warriors standing as silent guardians. Yet, despite the beauty of her surroundings, her mind was elsewhere—on Phyro.
She tried to push the thoughts away, but they lingered like a weight in her chest. His eyes, his smile, the way his presence seemed to fill every space he occupied. It was unsettling—intoxicating even, how easily he had come to occupy her thoughts. And it wasn't just the strange, unexplainable pull she felt toward him—it was everything about him. The quiet strength behind his quiet demeanor, the spark of something hidden beneath his usual calm.
"Home at last," she muttered to herself as she made her way to the manor, but her mind refused to leave the image of Phyro's face behind.
When she reached the front door, her mother, Lady Melina Kinlion, was waiting for her, as poised and composed as ever. But even Lady Melina's calming presence couldn't chase the thoughts of Phyro away. Lana forced herself to focus on the conversation, but her mind kept drifting back to the memory of the last time she'd seen him, the way his eyes had met hers, and the heat that had risen in her chest.
Her mother's voice broke through her internal haze. "You've returned. I trust everything went smoothly?"
Lana blinked, shaking herself from the daze. "Yes, Mother. The journey was fine."
Lady Melina gave her a knowing look, her sharp eyes studying Lana with the same intensity that had always made her feel exposed. "You don't seem like you've had a restful journey."
Lana hesitated. "It's nothing."
But it wasn't nothing. It was everything. Phyro had changed. And with him, something in her had shifted. His quiet presence at the academy, the moments they shared… the way his hand had brushed hers in that fleeting, moment of affection—it had left her body humming in ways she had never experienced.
Her mother, still watching her, must have sensed something, but she didn't press. "Your father is in the study," she said softly. "He wishes to speak with you."
Lana gave a quick nod, not trusting herself to speak. She turned to head inside, but her gaze lingered on the courtyard, where her younger brother, Leif, was practicing with a wooden sword. His movements were full of the exuberance of youth, but her thoughts, as they often did, returned to Phyro. That boy—her heart stuttered at the thought of him.
She could still feel the heat of his gaze from their last encounter, still hear his voice, calm and quiet, as though every word was laced with a deeper meaning. It left her restless. Her chest ached with longing she didn't understand. There was something about him that made everything else seem distant, irrelevant, and she found herself wondering—what would it be like to be closer?
Her body tingled with the thought.
Pushing the distraction aside, she continued into the manor, walking slowly toward the study. When she entered, her father, Lord Darian Kinlion, was standing by the window, his back to her. The stoic figure of the Kinlion family, he was always a presence. His strength, his dedication to the family name—everything about him commanded respect. But for some reason, tonight, his presence felt distant. His usual commanding voice didn't seem to quiet the restlessness stirring in her chest. Only one thing seemed to do that, and it wasn't him.
She cleared her throat, making her presence known.
"You're home."
"I am," Lana replied, her voice careful. She couldn't help but feel a flash of irritation at her father's way of speaking—always so factual, always so detached.
He turned to face her, his piercing gaze scanning her for any sign of weakness.
"Did you learn what you went to find?" His tone was steady, giving nothing away.
Lana swallowed hard, her thoughts momentarily diverted as she steadied herself. "I did," she said, the words feeling like they slipped out too easily. "I learned… a great deal."
Her father gave a brief nod, but Lana's attention was elsewhere. She couldn't stop the thoughts from creeping in again—that night in the academy, the way Phyro's body had moved, his muscles flexing with effortless grace. She had to stop herself from imagining it more vividly, because every time she did, she found herself growing restless, aching in places she hadn't realized were sensitive.
Her fingers twitched at the thought of him, of what might happen if she…
"Are you listening?" Her father's voice snapped her back to the moment.
Lana's face flushed slightly, but she forced herself to focus. "Yes, Father. I'm sorry."
Lord Darian studied her for a moment, a sharp glint in his eyes. "Good. You'll continue your training here. We've made arrangements for you to participate in the upcoming trials. Your place in this family is clear."
Lana nodded, though her mind didn't fully settle. Her place. Was that all there was to it? Her father's expectations, her family's legacy?
She wanted more. She wanted him.
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, her pulse quickened, and she felt a flush rise to her cheeks. Her gaze wandered to the courtyard again, where Leif's figure had long since vanished from view.
Her father's words faded into the background as she allowed herself a moment to indulge the thought—the image of Phyro, the way his presence had made her heart beat faster, the way she had felt his touch lingering even after he had walked away.
The craving for something deeper, more intimate, than she had ever known stirred within her. It was something she couldn't explain, couldn't push away. But she had to.
"You'll be ready for what's ahead," Lord Darian said firmly, snapping Lana out of her thoughts.
Lana gave a tight-lipped smile, her heart still racing. "Of course."
But inside, something inside her whispered a different truth. No, I'm not ready. Not for what's coming. Not for the trials, or her family's expectations. And certainly not for the feelings that Phyro had awakened in her.
But perhaps, just perhaps, she might be ready to explore where those feelings would lead.
End of Chapter.