In the Echo Garden – After the Spell
Selene's hand slipped from Lucien's.
Her crimson eyes blinked rapidly, confusion flooding her face.
"Lucien…?"
He staggered back slightly, golden eyes narrowing, breath unsteady.
Why am I here?
For a split second, he couldn't remember what had just happened.
The garden whispered softly:
"I loved him. I still do.""I won't forget."
But the words felt distant, like someone else's memory.
Selene's Fragmented Thoughts
She pressed her fingers to her temple, a cold sweat breaking out along her skin.
Why does my heart ache?Why can't I remember why I'm crying?
Her eyes flickered toward Lucien, but for the first time in months, she felt like she was looking at a stranger.
Lucien's Conflict
Lucien clenched his fists.
The logical part of his mind whispered that this was Evelyne's doing.
But the emotional part—the part tied to memory and love—was losing grip.
What if this is how it's supposed to be?What if I'm not meant to love her this time?
His soul screamed against it.
But the spell was clever.
It didn't erase memories all at once—it rewrote context.
Evelyne's Spell
Back in the Eastern Sanctum, Evelyne smiled faintly, eyes closed.
Her magic seeped through Aerthrial like invisible ink, rewriting the past in subtle, cruel ways.
In Selene's mind, a new memory bloomed:
Lucien's face—cold, distant—standing on the battlefield as an enemy commander, not a lover.
In Lucien's mind:
Selene's crimson eyes—merciless, like the blade that once pierced his side in a past life.
The Danger of Half-Truths
The worst part of Evelyne's spell was its plausibility.
It didn't simply delete love.It replaced it with conflict, betrayal, and doubt.
Selene's Walls Go Up
Selene stepped back, her crimson eyes hardening.
"I don't know what game you're playing, Lord Aurelian," she whispered.
Lucien flinched.
"Selene—"
Her voice sharpened.
"I won't fall for your traps again."
Lucien's Silent Despair
He could feel the bond between them still flickering beneath the surface.
But her eyes no longer looked at him with trust.
This isn't her fault.
This isn't mine.
But it still feels like betrayal.
The Beginning of War
That night, the political landscape of Aerthrial shifted.
With Selene pulling away from Lucien, the alliance between the Valeburnes and Aurelians crumbled quietly behind closed doors.
Assassination orders were whispered again.Spies moved.The Eastern Nobles celebrated in silence.
In Private
Lira Valeburne found Selene alone, sitting by her frost-covered window.
"Selene?" she whispered.
Selene didn't turn.
"I think I'm losing my mind."
Lira's throat tightened.
"No," she said softly, kneeling beside her. "You're losing something worse."
"What?"
"Your heart."
Lucien's Reflection
At the same time, Lucien stood in front of his mirror, golden eyes shadowed.
Alaric watched him from the corner of the room, silent.
Lucien's voice broke the quiet.
"If I don't fight this spell…"
Alaric asked, "What will you do?"
Lucien's lips parted, a whisper against the glass.
"Then I'll make her fall in love with me again."
A New Game Begins
This wasn't the same love story anymore.
Now it was a battle of memory, heart, and fate.
And in this version of the cycle, there were no guarantees.
Only echoes.