Chapter 75

Lucius turned to Shea and Achilles. "You two will need to stay here at the mansion for now. It's too risky for either of you to be out in the open."

Achilles nodded, but Shea frowned. "I can't just sit around doing nothing while everyone else is working on this."

"You won't be," Lucius assured her. "I want you to continue your training. The more control you have over your abilities, the better prepared you'll be for whatever comes next."

"I can help with that," Achilles offered, glancing at Shea.

Lyra cleared her throat. "I could use some help with the research, if Shea's interested. Two sets of eyes are better than one."

Shea brightened at the suggestion. "I'd like that. Thank you, Lyra."

Marcus stood up, stretching. "Well, if that's settled, I'll get started on those contingency plans. Achilles, want to brainstorm some ideas before you reach out to Rowan?"

"Sure," Achilles agreed. He turned to Shea. "We'll train later?"

She nodded, offering him a small smile. "Looking forward to it."

As the group began to disperse, Lucius called out, "One more thing. We need to keep this operation tight. No discussing it outside of this room, even with other members of the faction. The fewer people who know, the better our chances of success."

"Understood," they chorused.

Shea hung back as the others filed out, catching Lucius's eye. "Can I ask you something?"

He nodded, gesturing for her to continue.

"This artifact you mentioned... does it have anything to do with my father?"

Lucius's expression softened. "Vincent was researching it before... before everything happened. It's part of why he was targeted. But don't worry about that now. Focus on your training and helping Lyra. We'll discuss it more when the time is right."

Shea wanted to press for more information, but she could see the conversation was over. She nodded and turned to leave, her mind buzzing with questions.

Shea made her way to the library where Lyra was already setting up for their research session. As she entered, Lyra looked up with a smile.

"Hey, ready to dive into some dusty old books?" Lyra asked, gesturing to the pile on the table.

Shea nodded, taking a seat across from her. "As ready as I'll ever be. Where do we start?"

"I thought we'd begin with these texts on werewolf lore," Lyra explained, sliding a thick tome towards Shea. "There might be some clues about the artifact or why you're so important to the factions."

As they began reading, Shea couldn't help but glance at Lyra occasionally. Finally, she worked up the courage to ask, "So, how long have you known Achilles?"

Lyra looked up, a hint of surprise in her eyes. "Oh, we grew up together. Our families are close allies within the Von Lunar faction."

"You must know him pretty well then," Shea probed gently.

Lyra hesitated for a moment before responding. "I suppose I do. But he's always been... reserved. Even as kids."

Shea nodded, turning a page in her book. "He seems to be opening up more lately."

"I've noticed that too," Lyra said softly. She cleared her throat and quickly changed the subject. "Hey, look at this passage. It mentions a 'key of blood' that could unlock ancient werewolf powers."

As they delved deeper into their research, they were interrupted by a knock at the door. Achilles poked his head in.

"How's it going in here?" he asked, his eyes lingering on Shea.

"Slow but steady," Shea replied with a smile. "Find anything useful with Marcus?"

Achilles shrugged. "A few ideas. Nothing concrete yet." He paused, seeming hesitant. "I was wondering if you wanted to take a break. Maybe go for a walk in the gardens?"

Lyra spoke up before Shea could respond. "Actually, we're right in the middle of something important. Maybe later?"

Achilles nodded, looking slightly disappointed. "Of course. I'll leave you to it."

As he left, Shea turned back to Lyra, noticing a flicker of emotion cross her face. Before she could comment on it, Lyra pointed to another passage in her book.

"Look at this," she said, her voice tight. "It mentions a prophecy about a werewolf with the power to unite or destroy the factions. Sound familiar?"

Shea leaned closer to examine the passage Lyra had pointed out. "A werewolf with the power to unite or destroy... That's intense. Do you think it could be referring to me?"

Lyra nodded slowly. "It's possible. The timing certainly fits, and it would explain why you're so important to the factions."

"But how am I supposed to unite or destroy anything?" Shea asked, her brow furrowed. "I barely understand my own powers."

"That's what we're here to figure out," Lyra replied, offering a reassuring smile. "Knowledge is power, right?"

As they continued to pore over the books, Achilles returned, this time with Marcus in tow.

"Ladies," Marcus greeted them. "Mind if we join you? We might be able to shed some light on what you've found."

Shea gestured to the empty chairs. "Please, we could use the help."

As they settled in, Achilles leaned towards Shea. "Anything interesting?"

"Actually, yes," Shea said, sliding the book towards him. "There's a prophecy about a werewolf who could unite or destroy the factions. We think it might be about me."

Achilles's eyes widened as he read the passage. "This... makes a lot of sense. I remember dad saying the same about S"

Marcus leaned in to read as well. "If this is true, it explains why Hawkins is so desperate to get their hands on you, Shea."

"But what does it mean?" Shea asked, frustration evident in her voice. "How am I supposed to unite or destroy anything?"

Achilles placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We'll figure it out together. That's why we're here, right?"

Lyra cleared her throat. "There's more. We also found a mention of something called the 'key of blood.' It's supposed to unlock ancient werewolf powers."

Marcus's eyebrows shot up. "The key of blood? I've heard whispers about that, but I always thought it was just a legend."

"What do you know about it?" Shea asked eagerly.

Marcus shook his head. "Not much, I'm afraid. Just that it's supposed to be incredibly powerful and dangerous in the wrong hands."

"Great," Shea sighed. "So not only do I have this prophecy hanging over my head, but now there's some mysterious key involved too?"

Achilles squeezed her shoulder gently. "Hey, we're in this together, remember? We'll figure it out."