The grand hall of the Harp estate was silent. Lyra's father sat alone in his office, fingers resting on the polished wood of his desk. Outside, the golden harp fountain tinkled faintly in the courtyard, but the sound barely reached him. His eyes stared at nothing, lost in a memory that had haunted him for years.
He remembered the boy. Young. Wild. Gifted with Death Resonance, called cursed by everyone who had seen him. The boy had arrived at the estate years ago, full of charm and dangerous curiosity. He had learned quickly, bending his power with an ease that frightened even the most skilled of Harmonics.
And he had desired Lyra's mother. Not in malice, but in love, or what he believed was love. She had Sleep Resonance, rare and powerful, and the boy saw a symphony in their compatibility. But she refused. She was married. She was already committed. And though the boy left willingly at first, the seed of danger had been sown.
Years later, he returned. Older, sharper, more aware. He had realized that even Death Resonance, said to make its wielder immortal, had a limit. He feared death. And he had heard whispers… rumors of a pause. A Silence that could halt Death Resonance.
The memory twisted in Lyra's father's chest. He remembered the confrontation, her refusal to abandon the estate, and the boy's wrath, and fear. Her death. Her choices. All of it replayed like a phantom symphony, each note striking him anew.
Meanwhile, Kael had been taken by Lyra to a room near the stables. The estate members still did not fully trust him; a boy with Silence Resonance and uncontrolled echoes was an unpredictable presence. The room was simple, functional, and quiet. Kael sat on the edge of the bed, flute resting across his lap, staring at the wall. The sounds from the estate, the soft neighing of horses, the distant hum of the harp fountain, felt strange, alien, and yet… calming.
Lyra closed the door behind her and leaned against it for a moment, watching him. She could see the tension in his shoulders, the fear in his eyes. "It's going to be okay," she whispered. "You're safe here… at least as safe as anyone can be."
After leaving Kael, Lyra returned to her father's office. She stepped lightly across the polished floor and waited at the door. "Father," she said softly, "should Kael know the truth… about the Silence Resonance? That it's… cursed?"
Her father did not look up immediately. The weight of the past pressed on him like a shadow. Finally, he spoke, voice low and deliberate: "No. Not yet. He's too young. And telling him now… it would only put pressure on him. He must grow, learn his power, and find his own strength. The world will test him soon enough. Do not burden him before he is ready."
Lyra nodded, a flicker of understanding passing through her eyes. "I see. Then… I'll guide him. Slowly. Carefully."
Her father's gaze lingered on her for a moment. "Yes. He must be strong, or the past will repeat itself. But remember, Lyra… the Silence Resonance is dangerous. One day, it may be the only thing that can save us… or destroy us."
Lyra turned and left the office, her footsteps soft on the floor. Outside, Kael sat unaware, staring at the distant stables. He was young, untested, and completely oblivious to the full weight of the legacy and danger he carried.
And for now, that ignorance would keep him alive.