The rain tapped softly on the roof, and a gentle rhythm that filled the stillness of the house. Liora stood by the window, her fingers brushing the glass and her thoughts far from the street below. She had only slept a little. Her dreams were strange and full of symbols she didn't understand and comprehend, shapes burned into stone, whispers echoing in empty halls. Something was changing, and she couldn't tell what it was. Mira's voice broke the silence. "You left the door unlocked again." Liora turned slowly. "So?"
Mira leaned on the doorway, with her arms crossed. "So anyone could walk in. You know that."
"Then let them."
"That's not funny."
"It wasn't a joke." Liora said without looking at her face. Mira's eyes narrowed. Her blonde hair was pulled into a braid so tight that it looked painful. "You've been off lately. You don't eat. You look-"
"Dead?" Liora offered flatly and fast
"I was going to say pale." Mira responded calmly.
"Same thing."
"Liora, stop." Mira said firmly. Liora stepped away from the window, brushing past her sister. "You want me to pretend everything's fine? That nothing's wrong?! That I'm not-"
"Cursed?!" Mira snapped. The room became quiet immediately. Some footsteps echoed from the hall.
Corwin appeared, messy haired, casual, with a tired look in his eyes. "Can you two not tear each other apart before breakfast, hmm?"
"And the hell do you think started it?" Mira shoned. "I'll end it," Corwin said, raising a brow. "Liora, breathe. Mira, chill, Ok?"
"She doesn't ever listen," Mira said.
"She doesn't trust me," Liora shot back.
"You don't give me a reason to!"
"You're not supposed to control me!"
"Enough!," Corwin said, with a shaper voice. "We've all had enough, don't you think?"
He turned to Liora. "What's going on?"
Liora looked at him, her mouth tight. "Something is coming, something dark. And it's coming for me." Mira scoffed. "What, more visions?"
"I saw a sigil," Liora said. "Old, burned into stones. I don't know how I know it, but I do."
Corwin's face immediately changed. "What did it look like?"
"Circle within a triangle. With a line through the center. Like an eye, but not quite."
Corwin nodded slowly. "That's not a good sign." Mira crossed her arms. "You're listening to this?"
"Yeah," he said. "Because that's a binding sigil, forbidden."
"A what?" Mira said.
Liora's voice became low. "A mark used to tie something living to something else. For power or control."
"It's not used by witches," Corwin said. "well at least not anymore."
Their mother entered then. Thalia, dressed in soft grey, with deep lines around her eyes and silver streaks in her long hair. Behind her was Magnus, their father, tall, broad shouldered, and quiet.
"What's this about binding sigils?" Thalia asked.
"Liora saw one," Corwin said before either of the sisters could speak. "In a dream."
Magnus's expression darkened. "Where?!"
"Stone wall, umm old. I don't know where it was," Liora said. "Did you touch it?" Thalia asked. Liora became hesitant "Yes…"
Silence fell upon the room.
"That's not good!" Magnus said, breaking the silence
"We need to speak with the Circle," Thalia added anxiously while coming to hold his chest and looking up to his eyes.
"No!" Liora said suddenly. "No one else should be involved. I don't trust them."
Thalia stepped closer and calmy "You can't do this alone, Liora"
"I'm not alone," she said, looking at Mira, Corwin, even her father.
Mira frowned. "You're being reckless."
"And you're being blind."
"I'm trying to protect you."
"I never asked for that."
"You should have."
"Enough!" Magnus said, with a final tone voice. Mira stepped back, her lips pressed into a thin line, she pouted.
Corwin glanced toward the window. "Whatever's coming... it's close… very close!"
Mean while, in the dark, across the rooftops, Kael stood with Elric again.
"She's restless," Elric said.
"She should be," Kael replied.
"Her father, Magnus. He'll be a problem." Elric said
"I've dealt with worse."
"Do you still plan to take her?"
Kael's eyes glowed faintly. "I plan to offer her a choice."
"And what if she refuses?"
"She won't."
From the shadows below, a pair of eyes watched them. Ezra.
Lean, quiet, dressed in dark travel worn robes and his expression unreadable. He stood still for a long moment, then he vanished into thin air like nothing.