Corin now had the ways of the estate well in his head. The long corridors, the artistically designed arches, the play of light and shadow that fell through the high windows, all of this was familiar to him. But there was something different in the air today.
Something unspoken.
The meeting with the patriarch had left its mark, even if it had been no more than an exchange of a few words. Corin knew that such people rarely left anything to chance. And if the man decided to address him, there was a reason.
'Family matters.'
That was the word Viviana had used last time.
He found her where he had expected to find her, in one of the gardens behind the main wing of the estate. Night had long since fallen over the house, and the soft illumination of the lanterns cast dancing shadows on the stone paths. The air smelled of wet grass and the soft perfume of the roses that grew along the walls.
Viviana sat at a round table, a cup of tea in front of her, as if this were nothing more than an ordinary evening.
But he knew better.
When she saw him, she raised her head slightly, her eyes resting on him for a moment, then she smiled.
"You survived."
Corin raised an eyebrow and settled down in the chair opposite her. "Did you expect me not to?"
"Of course not."
She leaned back slightly, the china of her cup clinking softly as she set it down.
"But I've heard that you've already made a certain impression."
Corin knew what she meant. His duel with Aldric had made waves. And Viviana always knew more than she was letting on.
"Wasn't that the whole point?"
He let his gaze wander around the garden for a moment before adding, "It was something i needed to sort out anyway."
She reached for her cup, but before she took a sip, her tone quieted.
"But that's not why you're here."
Corin felt the atmosphere shift. Viviana's expression remained elegant, her posture relaxed, but something in her presence changed.
This was the real conversation.
"Family matters," Corin finally said. "Last time you mentioned that there were things you needed to sort out. I take it that's not over yet."
Viviana regarded him for a moment, as if weighing up how much she wanted to tell him.
Then she put the cup down and folded her hands on the table in front of her.
"No," she said quietly. "It's not over yet."
The wind rustled through the leaves of the rose bushes.
Corin waited. Viviana did not speak immediately. She let the silence remain between them, letting the moment sink in before leaning forward.
"My grandfather spoke to you, didn't he?"
It wasn't really a question.
Corin nodded slowly. "He knew who I was. And that you were talking about me."
"Of course he knew." Her gaze sharpened. "He knows everything that happens within these walls."
Corin couldn't help but smirk. "I can tell."
Viviana sighed softly and tapped her fingers on the table. "I actually wanted to avoid him getting involved."
Corin said nothing, but his attention remained on her.
"Our family is... complicated," she finally continued.
"I figured as much."
She gave him a quick glance, not annoyed, but with the kind of patience that showed she wasn't distracted by his comments.
Then she stood up slowly.
"Come with me. I'll show you something."
Corin didn't hesitate.
He got up and followed her through the garden while the wind picked up and the rain dripped softly against the leaves. He didn't know what exactly awaited him.
They walked for a quite a while. The estate stretched itselsf quite wight even underground. The deeper they went underground the more did the security seem to tighten. Then they stopped right before a huge hall.
Corin's gaze lingered on the scene before him.
The hall was huge, far larger than the architecture of the manor would suggest from the outside. The walls were old, made of black stone, and the light was subdued, almost unnatural. But it wasn't the size of the room or its structure that gave him pause.
It was the rose.
It lay on an altar of polished obsidian, its petals glowing a deep, almost supernatural red. But the really frightening thing was what was happening around it, an entire garden was growing out of it. Dozens, hundreds of tendrils snaked across the floor, along the walls, growing into each other, twisting, pulsating as if they were alive.
And Corin could feel them.
It wasn't just a presence, it was a will. A desire that scratched at the edges of his consciousness.
He inhaled shallowly. "What... is that?"
Viviana watched him closely. Her posture was relaxed, but her eyes never left him.
"You already should know," she said calmly.
Corin pressed his lips together. He knew it. Or at least he had a hunch.
"The source of your power," he finally murmured. "The core of the Virelli legacy."
Viviana nodded slowly.
"The blood rose."
The word echoed in his head as if it were vibrating in the air. His fingers twitched involuntarily. It was as if something inside him was reacting to the sight, something deep, ancient.
"You can feel it, can't you?"
Corin tore his gaze away from the rose and looked at Viviana. Her face was as flawless as ever, but there was something in her eyes, a hint of expectation.
"What is this power?" he asked quietly.
Viviana stepped to his side and let her gaze glide over the garden.
"It's more than just power," she said. "It's a heritage. A connection. The rose is the heart of the Virelli line, it gives us our strength, our abilities. But it also demands its price."
Corin frowned.
"And what price is that?"
Viviana's lips curled into a barely visible smile.
"That," she said, "I'll show you."
Corin felt his knees give way, but he held himself upright. It was as if something invisible was hammering against his senses, as if the room itself was reaching for him. His own path, the raven, pushed against the alien presence, almost instinctively, as if to ward it off.
A path veil... so that was the true essence of the Virellis.
He now understood why the great families of the nobility retained their power. It wasn't just political influence or pure talent. It was the veil, an anchor that gave them strength, kept their lines strong and ensured that no one could touch their true power without their blood.
Viviana looked at him with a mixture of interest and anticipation. She had known he would react like this.
"You understand now, don't you?" she finally said.
Corin took a deep breath, his gaze still resting on the vibrant rose in the middle of the supernatural garden.
"Every family, whether nobility or council, owns something like this."
Viviana nodded.
"Almost every one. But the strength of a veil determines how powerful a family really is. The veil is the foundation of our power."
Corin rubbed his temple.
"And if someone wants its power..."
Viviana raised a hand slightly and let one of her fingernails glide across her palm. A fine, red drop appeared on her skin.
"Then he must give in order to receive."
The rose on the altar reacted immediately. A slight tremor ran through the tendrils, as if they had sensed her blood.
Corin stared at it. "An offering. A part of your blood against her power."
Viviana lowered her hand. "The more you give, the more you get back. A fair trade, don't you think?"
Corin snorted. "It sounds too easy."
"Of course." Viviana smiled slightly. "Otherwise it wouldn't be a family secret."
Corin crossed his arms. The power of the rose was fascinating, but it wasn't for him. He could feel it.
"And if you already have a path?"
Viviana's gaze sharpened. She knew what he was getting at.
"Then the veil is of no use, its the opposite, its a threat."
Corin nodded slowly. His path was different. A mystery that no one knew anything about. It wasn't compatible with what the blood rose offered.
"That's not why you're here." Viviana's eyes sparkled. "No. You're here because I want you to understand how the world works."
Corin let his gaze wander around the room once more. He understood.
But that didn't mean he knew what Viviana really wanted from him.