Chapter 439: Aunt Victoria, What aren’t you telling me?

Victoria swore under her breath.

"That’s why we’re here," Veyra continued. "Not to harm you. To warn you. Because Lilith Morvaine....you are the most valuable and most endangered supernatural being alive right now. And if you don’t accept help soon, you won’t survive the month."

"That sounds like a threat," Sebastian said dangerously.

"It’s a statement of fact," Veyra corrected. "Seven covens are already debating whether to capture you or kill you. The vampire councils are sending scouts to confirm your existence. Demon brokers are offering bounties for information about your location. Every faction that operates in the shadows is mobilizing. And that’s not even accounting for...."

She stopped abruptly.

"Accounting for what?" Lucian demanded.

Veyra looked directly at Lilith. "Thalia Morvaine."

The name hit like a physical blow.

Victoria went rigid. Elena’s expression turned carefully blank.

"What about Thalia?" Lilith asked, her voice steady despite the fear crawling up her spine.

"She’s the one spreading the information," Veyra said. "She’s the reason every coven knows about you. She’s been sending messages through supernatural channels. Telling everyone about the girl who carries the Veil’s essence. Making sure the entire community sees you as either an opportunity or a threat."

"Why would she do that?" Lilith asked.

But even as she said it, she knew. Some instinct told her exactly why Thalia would turn the supernatural world against her.

Veyra confirmed it. "Because Thalia Morvaine has a binding covenant on you. A debt you owe for your resurrection. And she’s making sure that when she comes to collect, when she invokes that debt and demands payment.....you’ll have nowhere to run. No allies to protect you. No safe haven to hide in. Just her terms and her price."

The words fell into silence like stones into still water.

Lilith felt the world tilt beneath her feet.

"What covenant?" Lilith asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

She turned to look at Victoria. At her aunt who had gone pale and shaking.

"What covenant?" Lilith repeated. "What debt?"

Victoria opened her mouth. Closed it. Looked at Elena with something like desperation.

"Aunt Victoria," Lilith said. Her voice was harder now. "What aren’t you telling me?"

Before Victoria could answer, Veyra spoke again.

"The resurrection," Veyra said. "Thalia helped perform it. She provided the death magic needed to pull your soul back from the Veil. And in exchange, she placed a binding covenant on you. A debt that must be paid. And Lilith....binding covenants sealed with blood magic and witnessed by Underworld entities cannot be broken by normal means. When Thalia invokes it, you will be compelled to comply."

"That’s not true," Lilith said immediately. But she was looking at Victoria. Watching her aunt’s face. Seeing the guilt written there.

"It is true," the pale blonde witch.....Solene, said quietly. "We consulted our seers. The binding covenant exists. Thalia has first claim on whatever power you carry. And she’s been very clear about her intentions."

"Which are?" Sebastian demanded.

"Unknown," Veyra admitted. "Thalia doesn’t share her plans with anyone. But given her history, her corruption, her demon deals, her complete disregard for anyone’s wellbeing except her own, we can guess it won’t be pleasant."

"This is insane," Lucian said. "You’re telling us Lilith is bound to a dark witch who helped attack this estate? Who nearly killed everyone here? And you expect us to believe you’re here to help?"

"We’re here to offer an alternative," Veyra said. "An alliance. You let us train Lilith. Teach her to control the power she carries. Help her understand what she’s become. And in exchange, our three covens will stand between her and the threats that are coming. We’ll provide protection. Resources. Political influence to slow the other factions’ mobilization."

"And what do you get out of it?" Elena asked sharply.

Veyra smiled slightly. "The opportunity to study unprecedented magic. To understand how someone can wield life and death simultaneously. To advance our knowledge in ways that could benefit all covens. We’re not offering this out of pure altruism. We want access to what Lilith represents. But we also don’t want her dead or enslaved by Thalia. So our interests align."

"No," Sebastian said immediately. "We’re not handing Lilith over to be studied like some experimental subject."

"Then you’re condemning her to death," Veyra said flatly. "Because the threats are coming whether you accept our help or not. Within days, you’ll have supernatural factions at your gates demanding access to her. Within weeks, you’ll be fighting battles you cannot win. And within a month or two....maybe longer depending on when Thalia decides Lilith is ready, Thalia herself will arrive to invoke the binding covenant. And when that happens, all your Alpha posturing and pack loyalty won’t mean anything."

"Get off our lands," Lucian said. "Now."

Veyra looked at Lilith. "Think about what I said. The offer stands for three days. After that, our covens will make other arrangements. And Lilith....whatever Victoria told you or didn’t tell you about the resurrection, you need the full truth. Because Thalia is coming. And when she does, you need to be ready."

She turned to leave.

But Lilith felt something surge inside her. Not conscious thought. Just....reaction.

Power exploding from her core. Life and death magic intertwining. Dual forces blazing outward in a wave of pure energy.

The three witches were thrown backward, not violently, but firmly. Pushed away from the estate gates by invisible force.

They stumbled and caught themselves. All three of them staring at Lilith with expressions that were equal parts shock and awe.

"I don’t need your protection," Lilith said. Her voice resonated with power she didn’t fully understand yet. "I don’t need your alliance. I don’t need you studying me or training me or pretending you care about anything except what you can gain from what I carry. So leave. Now. And tell the other covens...tell everyone that I’m not some prize to be won or tool to be used. I’m a person. And anyone who comes for me will regret it."