Isobel's mind spun, her brother's face flashing in her thoughts. "So you're saying my brother's strength is limited too?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, fear creeping into her heart.
Lyrith nodded, her expression unreadable. "Yes, though he's shown more promise than your father. Awakening before twenty, like you, is no small feat. But don't mistake potential for freedom. The universe still holds his leash." Her words were blunt, cutting through Isobel's defenses like a blade.
A memory surged in Isobel's mind—her transformation into a vampire, not through awakening as Lyrith described, but through her brother's bite. Her stomach twisted. "What if… what if I didn't awaken my bloodline naturally? What if another vampire turned me?" she asked, her voice hesitant, her eyes flicking away from Lyrith's piercing gaze.
