Flare, who had been observing very intensely, slightly squinted. She recognized the kind of magic already but the way it was cast was exquisitely done and so, she almost missed it.
The strings that were holding Lita wnot seen butere they still were like a puppet. It was not only Sylana's magic—it was high-tier, forbidden magic that could even manipulate the strongest wills without being discovered.
Flare's look turned to be more withdrawn and she made a decision that this matter should not go on.
With a controlled but somewhat fearsome attitude, Flare took her place between Lita and Sylana, their own power acting as a catalyst to Sylana's grin being lost. Sylana's face went from triumph to irritation in a matter of seconds, her glare practically threatening.
"Move aside, Flare,"
Sylana whispered, her tone frigid.
"You don't understand what's happening here."
But Flare was tough and kept on her way, eyes fixed on the spot where Sylana's hand was suspended, very slightly intertwining the threads of the puppet spell. Wordlessly, Flare unsheathed her sword in one swift move and with deadly accuracy, cut through Sylana's hand in one smooth stroke.
Sylana let out a short cry, the magic being immediately annulled as the hand that was severed fell on the floor. Lita gave way to the collapse of the dark power over her as she was freed from Sylana's grip. Lita's eyes were clearing for the first time in what seemed to be hours; she gasped and her breaths were shallow as she turned her head around in confusion.
"I know your game, Sylana,"
Flare spoke in a frosty manner, her tone as sharp as the sword she was holding.
"You've been manipulating Lita from the start. But you won't succeed."
Sylana expressed her rage by letting out a blood-curdling scream and wandering backwards as her ice magic started to take effect, gradually re-growing her severed hand. The frozen part was slowly moving over her injury, and in a few seconds, her hand was already there, the skin being born at a disturbingly fast rate.
Her lips that were covered by her long hair showed a grimace, and those icy blue eyes of hers radiated pure loathing.
"You dare interfere?"
Sylana seethed, her voice dripping with venom.
"You insignificant little—"
"That's enough."
Flare interrupted her again, holding up her sword.
"You have been playing with Lita for far too long. Your desires will not be fulfilled."
Sylana's anger was so great it could be felt in the air, the atmosphere surrounding her was even more deadlier because of its cold nature.
A bright icy blue light started to surround her whole body, it was a very powerful light indicating that her power was at its maximum and she was ready to fight back.
"You believe that you can prevent me?"
she hissed, her tone was shaky because of her fury.
"You are totally unaware of what I can do!"
But Flare did not move from her position, her sword ready for anything.
She turned her head towards Lita, who was still trying to come back to reality, and then to Madam Valliere, who had managed to get up, her expression not very strong but determined.
"You are safe, Sylana,"
said Flare in an eerily calm voice.
"I do not underestimate you. I just have gotten fed up with your play."
Immediately after, the fight started again, Sylana rushing at Flare with a loud scream, her magic of ice swirling around her like a fatal tempest. But this time, Flare was well prepared.
The moment Sylana charged ahead with her deadly ice magic, a loud voice just like a thunderclap sliced through the air.
"Stop it!"
The power of the voice was so great that it instantly stopped Sylana. The coldness of the environment went down further, but this time it was not by Sylana's magic-it was because of Madam Valliere, who was standing like a giant with a very cold and powerful presence of authority and anger.
Usually, her eyes were cold and rational but now they were literally set alight by pure and unrestricted rage as she moved forward, as if to protect her daughter and the demon from Sylana and her ice magic.
"How dare you,"
hissed Madam Valliere with a voice barely a whisper but full of fury.
"You dared to manipulate my child? To treat her as your puppet?"
With every word, she expressed her disdain more and more. Her anger became even more intense, and she was vibrating with energy as she confronted her sister.
Sylana's freezing magic weakened when she drew back. Her smile transformed into a defensive frown.
"Sis,"
she started, attempting to hide her irritation under a veneer of politeness,
"you don't get it. Lita has..."
"Shut up,"
Madam Valliere said, cutting her off, while her voice was at its most dangerous soft.
"You've gone too far, Sylana. The issue is not Lita's potential. It's your ambition—your desire for power and your arrogance to believe that you could control my child without any consequences."
Sylana's reaction was a sneer and she spat her words out.
"She has power that no one can control. You have hampered her, made her powerless. I only tried to unchain her potential!"
Madam Valliere's gaze turned hostile. .
"You sought to turn her into a weapon, to bend her will to your own. And for that, you have made an unforgivable mistake."
Lita, now completely awake and conscious, was standing in the background, shaking as she slowly began to perceive what had occurred. It was an upsetting revelation, but the fierce protectiveness in her mother's eyes helped her along.
The thought came to her—her mother had always been aware of the dark side of Sylana and had thus kept Lita out of this turmoil.
"Leave, Sylana,"
Madam Valliere ordered, her voice calm yet threatening.
"Otherwise, I will act in such a way that you will regret it."
Sylana shot a look, her icy blue pupils shrinking into narrow lines.
"Do you really think you can just tell me to go?"
she lashed back, her anger betraying her voice.
"I am not a little girl that can easily be pushed away, sister. I have come to take what has been rightly given to me."
"You are not being invited,"
said Madam Valliere coldly,
"but warned."
The two sisters were silent but the tension between them was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Sylana's hands were still slightly glowing with the remnants of magic and they were a bit restless, but she was already hesitating and realizing that the wrath of Madam Valliere was not something she could ever afford to misjudge.
Finally, after an interminable, taut silence, Sylana cruelly laughed, her bitter smile revealing her teeth.
"Okay,"
she retreated, her voice as poisonous as ever,
"I will go, but don't ever think that I will not come back."
Madam Valliere remained unmoved.
"It had been finished the moment you entered our house."
Quickly, with a last sardonic glance, Sylana turned around and walked right towards the exit. She had given up her cold magic, but the coldness she had created still remained in the atmosphere. She was already at the door when she hesitated, turned her head and looked at Lita.
"You are more powerful than you think, Lita,"
she whispered, and though her tone was gentle, there was a strong current of evildoing, "someday you will be aware of it. And when that day comes, you will know how to get in touch with me."
Then, Sylana was gone, swallowed by the fog, and her presence faded as fast as it had appeared. The strain in the air decreased gradually but the harm was already done.
Madam Valliere faced Lita, her look becoming a little gentler, although the rage was still bubbling under the skin.
"You are safe now, Lita,"
she whispered.
"But this is not finished yet."
Lita, still trembling and uncertain, just nodded as she had no idea what to say. Flare, who was next to her, was quiet too but her eyes were alert, showing her undivided loyalty to the family. It was apparent that the dark schemes of Sylana had only just started and that the danger to Lita and the Valliere family was still there even if it was not so obvious.