Lady Blackwell's Arc

Chapter 1 of 1

Lady Blackwell stepped through the empty corridor, her purple-emblemed robes brushing the stone floor. A small voice cried inside her mind — sharp, frightened, wordless. Only she could hear it. The rare butterfly with dragon wings beat against the icy bars of its frame, begging her to come. She knelt by the case and answered in silent thought, calming the creature while her own plans turned beneath the surface. The headmaster suspected her. Soon he would arrive, and she would let him find her here. Footsteps echoed. The headmaster entered and froze at the sight of her beside the empty cabinet. The butterfly was gone — slipped free through her quiet promise. He demanded answers. Lady Blackwell rose, calm as carved stone, and offered a soft, puzzled smile. "I heard something," she said. The seed was planted. He had his suspect, his missing specimen, and a thread that would lead him exactly where she wanted.