Chapter 284: The Plan

Liora knew that her sister wanted revenge, but she was also painfully aware that Aira was not the type to risk her life recklessly for it. Aira valued survival—she always had—and she made decisions only after calculating the risk down to the smallest detail. That was why Liora found it strange... even alarming... that her sister would suddenly bring up the idea of striking against Zyren in such a firm, resolute tone.It begged the question—why now?

"Why now?" Liora asked again, a deep frown settling on her face as she studied her sister carefully. "Why so suddenly have you decided you want to get rid of Zyren?" she pressed, her skepticism sharp and unhidden. Her voice carried the tone of someone who knew her sister too well to ignore such a drastic change. She kept her gaze fixed on Aira, who stood across from her with an expression far more determined than Liora had expected.

Aira nodded, slow yet vigorous, as though steadying herself while also forcing her own conviction to harden. "I was trying to be careful," she began, her voice low but unwavering, "but now I clearly can’t see any reason to. He says he won’t hurt me as long as I don’t run away. Fine. I’m prepared to test that." Her expression tightened with resolve—genuine, uncompromising resolve—as if she were trying to convince not only Liora but also herself that she was no longer scared of attacking him.

A wry, almost mocking smile tugged at the corner of Liora’s mouth as she shook her head. "And what if that is nonsense?" she countered sharply. "What if we revolt, and he comes for us anyway? What will you do then?" Liora’s voice was edged with warning; she wasn’t ready to throw her life away on a hunch. She wouldn’t move unless she was convinced Aira’s mind was made of steel.

"Then I’ll fight until my very last breath!" Aira shot back instantly, her eyes blazing with fierce determination as she held Liora’s gaze without flinching. She did everything she could to convey that she was completely, irrevocably committed.

Liora did not respond right away. She simply stared at Aira—silent, assessing, weighing, thinking—before finally speaking again.

"Fine," she said at last, her tone resigned but not defeated. "If we’re going to do this, then we might as well." She listened without interrupting as Aira began explaining the alliances she had formed with the hunter houses and the temporary arrangement she had made with the temple—an arrangement she had now put on hold due to the attack that killed two temple members and left the others severely injured.

"So our main ally will be the werewolf king?" Liora asked, raising a skeptical brow. "Are we even sure he’s powerful enough?"

Aira nodded slowly, lowering her voice as she stepped closer to Liora, speaking in a whisper meant only for the two of them. "I’m sure they have an artifact that could help, even if he isn’t powerful enough himself." She went on to describe the artifact they had once given Zyren—one she believed was particularly dangerous to vampires.

She continued, even going so far as to explicitly tell Liora what Clara wanted from her, and what she had offered in exchange.

"I don’t trust her," Liora declared instantly, without hesitation.

Aira nodded. She knew. There was no way she could trust a Luna who wanted nothing more than to wipe out anything connected to Zyren. For all she knew, they could pretend to aim at Zyren but kill her instead.

"Most importantly," Aira continued, "we are to head to the werewolf realm in a few days to help them with the Zygon infestation. There is no doubt in my mind that the werewolves are going to make a move on Zyren then." She spoke with certainty. Even Liora’s expression shifted—there was thoughtfulness now, concern, calculation.

"How are you going to be involved?" Liora asked, fully aware that she herself could join any assault with her offensive ability, but Aira... her abilities made that impossible.

Aira reminded her gently, "I can heal, remember? It means that regardless of any injury any of you suffer, it can be fixed."

Liora slowly nodded. She understood perfectly the advantage of having a healer.

"...you can heal some people," Liora clarified pointedly, because it was a fact that Aira could not heal her, no matter how hard she tried. Aira nodded lightly in acknowledgement.

"Yes. I can’t heal people with contaminated bloodlines," she sighed, long and tired. Liora paced slowly around the room as Aira spoke, listening without breaking concentration. She came to a stop only when Aira continued.

"To be honest, I’m not even sure this is the best way," Aira admitted. "Once Zyren is dead, an outright war between werewolves and vampires will be declared. But at least... we’ll get revenge."

Her voice wavered ever so slightly when she mentioned Zyren dying. Not visibly. Not in a way anyone else would notice. But Liora knew her sister well enough to see the tremor hidden beneath the words.

Aira felt it too—something inside her twisted painfully every time she said his name alongside death, something deep within her that recoiled at the idea. But she forced herself to ignore it. She had already made up her mind: even if their hearts were connected, Zyren still had to die. If she could not erase the smug arrogance he carried in life, then she refused to believe he wouldn’t learn his lesson in the afterlife.

"It doesn’t matter," Liora responded with a dismissive wave of her hand. "By then, we will have fled to the outskirts. One side can kill the other, but neither will wipe the other out completely."

"Vampires won’t come for humans," Aira added, brows furrowing with concern. "But werewolves will. They already think they’re superior."

"...aren’t they?" Liora replied indifferently, shrugging. "Only those with power can rule. Humans have no abilities."

Aira found it hard to argue with that. Liora wasn’t wrong.

Silence fell between them—heavy, tense, thoughtful. With nothing more to say, Liora decided to take her leave. She informed Aira that they would discuss further details later, before their departure to the werewolves’ realm beyond the dark forest.

Liora walked steadily toward the door, reaching out to open it—when she suddenly paused. Aira’s voice reached her from behind, cold and quiet, carrying words that had nothing to do with their previous conversation.

"Are you still killing humans?" Aira asked. Her face appeared neutral but her voice carried more emotion than she was willing to show.

"You know the answer to that question," Liora replied coolly. "Unless you’d prefer I spell it out." She pulled the door open and walked out, fully aware that Aira had already smelled the faint trace of blood lingering on her. A scent Aira’s heightened senses could never miss.

The door closed, and Aira stood alone in the room, her hands balled tightly into fists. She knew there was nothing she could do about the fact that her sister was a murderer—and would continue killing.

I’ll find a way to cure her, she promised herself. As if that would somehow help the people who were already dead.

She was still standing there, deep in thought, when a light knock sounded at the door. She looked up as Rymora entered. Rymora was the only person aside from Zyren who could enter without Aira’s explicit permission.

Rymora had stepped out earlier during her conversation with Liora, having heard a soft knock—a servant’s knock—and gone to find out what was needed or what message was being delivered. When she returned, Aira instantly sensed something strange in her expression.

"What? Did something happen?" Aira asked, having noticed Rymora leave earlier. It couldn’t be the hunter houses—they knew how to reach her. So who else could it be?

Maybe the temple, she thought. But that seemed unlikely—they were still recovering from the attack, and healing themselves would take priority over her ritual.

"It’s Luna Clara," Rymora said quietly. "She sent a message. She would like to speak to you. Preferably before the sun sets." Rymora said aware that she could speak with Aria without fear as long as she didn’t make it obvious to the servants that she wasn’t mute.

Aira frowned even as she listened to what Rymora had to say aware that it was best to get the conversation over with as fast as possible even as she wondered what more the woman still had to say to her.

"We’ll give it some time then head there! In the main time I’d like to rest!" Aria said moving towards the bed and falling on it. Aware that with how quickly things were moving she wouldn’t be surprised if Zyren did something to bring the journey forward since he was bound to have plans of his own.

The man wasn’t stupid.

’Worse it might be the Zygons who make a move!’ she thought to herself as a shiver ran down her spine simply from the thought of it.