Lucius leaned back in his chair, his perfect features arranged in an expression of mock concern. "Reflection? From you? What brought on this miraculous transformation? Did you hit your head when you fell before Leo?"
Careful now. He's probing, looking for weakness. In the novel, this was where he'd start referencing specific past failures, trying to goad me into an outburst.
"Perhaps I finally realized that continuing down my current path would only lead to more pain and humiliation," I replied, meeting his gaze briefly before looking down at my plate. "I've brought shame to the Leone name. The least I can do is acknowledge it."
"Shame?" Lucius's voice carried just a hint of steel beneath the silk. "Brother, you've done far more than bring shame. Remember the incident with the Thornfield girl last summer? Or perhaps your... creative interpretation... of magical theory during your academy entrance exams?"
There it is. The Thornfield incident—another of the original Kaelen's spectacular failures. He'd tried to impress a minor noble's daughter at a summer gathering by demonstrating a spell he'd barely learned, ended up setting fire to her dress, and caused a diplomatic incident that took Father months to smooth over.
The smart play would be to deflect, make excuses, shift blame. That's what they expected. That's what would give them the satisfaction of watching me squirm.
Instead, I set down my fork and looked directly at Lucius. My hands trembled slightly—not from fear, but from the effort of maintaining my composure.
"You're right to remind me of my failures," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Lady Thornfield could have been seriously injured because of my arrogance. The academy examiners were right to question my suitability for higher magical education. I've made mistake after mistake, and each time I've been too proud to learn from them."
"I..." Lucius started, then stopped, his perfect composure cracking slightly. "Well. Yes. That's... that's exactly the problem."
Lady Vivienne jumped into the awkward silence with the skill of a seasoned gossip. "Speaking of the academy, I heard the most interesting rumor today. Apparently, young Lord Blackwood has been asking questions about our family's financial situation."
Father's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "The Blackwoods have always been... curious about other families' affairs. It's the nature of their business."
"Of course," Lady Vivienne agreed, though her tone suggested she found nothing natural about it. "Still, one does wonder what sparked his interest. Perhaps our recent... social difficulties... have drawn unwanted attention."
She was looking directly at me when she said it. The message was clear: my public humiliation at Leo's hands had weakened the family's position, made us vulnerable to scrutiny from our rivals.
"I understand," I said quietly. "My actions have consequences beyond just my own reputation. I'll... I'll try to be more mindful of how my behavior reflects on the family."
Lucius was studying me now with the intensity of a cat watching a mouse that had suddenly stopped running. "You know, Kaelen, this newfound humility is almost... suspicious. Yesterday you were ranting about how Leo was just jealous of your 'noble bearing,' and today you're practically canonizing him."
I let my shoulders slump slightly, as if his words had physically wounded me. "Maybe yesterday I was still lying to myself. Maybe I needed to hear the truth from someone I couldn't ignore or dismiss."
"The truth?" Lucius pressed. "And what truth is that?"
I met his eyes for just a moment, letting him see something broken and defeated in my expression. "That I'm not the hero of my own story. I'm not even the villain. I'm just... nothing. A disappointment. A waste of noble blood."
The words tasted bitter, but they had the desired effect. Lucius's predatory expression softened slightly, replaced by something that might have been pity. Even Father's stern mask cracked just a fraction.
There we go. Nothing disarms people faster than complete self-deprecation. Hard to kick someone who's already on the ground.
"Well," Lady Vivienne said after a moment, her voice artificially bright, "perhaps this unfortunate incident will prove to be a blessing in disguise. A chance for... personal growth."
"Perhaps," I agreed, returning to my meal with the mechanical movements of someone going through the motions of living.
The conversation moved on to safer topics—estate business, social obligations, political gossip. I participated minimally, offering only brief agreements or asking clarifying questions that painted me as someone trying to understand a world beyond his comprehension.
As the meal wound down, Lucius leaned back in his chair with the satisfied air of someone who had thoroughly dominated the evening's entertainment. "You know, brother, if you're truly committed to this... reformation... perhaps you should spend some time studying our family's history. Learn what it means to be a Leone."
Here it comes. The setup I've been waiting for.
"Our family's history?" I asked, injecting just the right note of uncertainty into my voice.
"The family archives," Father said, his tone suggesting this was something I should have thought of myself. "Generations of Leone wisdom and experience, documented for posterity. Though I suppose the old wing where they're housed might be a bit... intimidating... for someone in your current state of mind."
Lucius's eyes lit up with malicious glee. "Oh yes, the dusty old family archive. Honestly, Kaelen, you'd probably die of fright just looking at the door. All those shadowy corridors and creaking floorboards. The servants say they've heard strange sounds from that section of the house."
Perfect. He'd just handed me exactly what I needed.
I let a visible shiver run through my body, my fork clattering slightly against my plate. "Strange sounds?"
"Probably just the wind through broken shutters," Lady Vivienne said dismissively. "Though the staff does seem unusually reluctant to venture into that area for cleaning."
"Perhaps," Father mused, "exploring our family's legacy would be... educational. Though I doubt Kaelen has the courage for such an undertaking. The old wing can be quite unsettling, even in daylight."
I swallowed hard, letting them see the fear in my eyes. Inside, predatory satisfaction coiled in my chest like a sleeping serpent.
Thank you, dear family. You've just given me the perfect excuse to go exactly where I need to go.
"I... I could try," I said hesitantly. "If you think it would help me understand what it means to be a true Leone."
Lucius laughed, the sound musical and cruel. "Oh, this should be entertaining. Our brave little brother, venturing into the scary old wing to read dusty books. Do try not to run screaming at the first shadow you see."
"I'll... I'll do my best."
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