Someone familiar. Literally.

"Eldrin," she said again, out of breath. "Wait! I... I just want to talk."

Eldwyn said nothing, and the woman didn't seem to know how to continue, either. Something nagged at the back of Lucas' mind. There was something familiar about her. Her eyes flicked in his direction, so brightly green they almost seemed to shine, and it came to him.

"I know you," he blurted out. "We met last week, didn't we?"

The woman looked at him pleadingly, but the words were already coming out of his mouth.

"Last week, after we met Audrey. I took a stroll while you were... getting ready. I walked right into her. Right here, actually."

Eldwyn shot him a confused look, but then her eyes widened, and she turned back to the woman. "It was you! You followed me and told them!"

"I... I-I'm sorry. I never meant—"

"You told them!" Eldwyn shrieked, taking a step forwards, fists balled. Tears were welling up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," the woman whispered, shrinking back.

Eldwyn struck her. It was a clumsy punch, with more anger than **** behind it, but the woman didn't expect it. Eldwyn's hand caught the side of the woman's face, knocking her to the ground.

Eldwyn broke down, her shoulders heaving as sobs wracked her body. Lucas stared in shock, but he quickly went to put his arm around her.

"I-I'm so sorry," the woman pleaded. "P-please, I... I never meant for this to happen. I never th-thought they would... Please, you have to believe me!"

She was crying too now, her left hand cradling her face where Eldwyn had hit her.

Eldwyn shook her head vehemently. "No. You did this to me, Kythril. Father kicked me out because of you. Because you went running to him, like you always do. Why!?"

The last word had been a shrill scream.

"I-I was trying to get you into trouble, but... but not like this! I swear, I didn't think... I'm so sorry, p-please forgive me..."

"No. No, I don't care." Eldwyn drew herself up straight, drying her tears. "You ruined my life, and now you expect me to forgive you, just because you feel bad? No."

"I just want you to forgive me," Kythril moaned pathetically.

"You want my forgiveness? You want me to forgive you for ruining my life?" Eldwyn spat. She turned to stare at Lucas, her eyes narrowing in thought. "You know what I get when I do something wrong? A spanking. A hard one, on my ass. Let's start with that."

Lucas' eyes widened, but something in Eldwyn's eyes kept him from speaking up.

"Wh-what?" Kythril sputtered.

"That's right. But you couldn't take something like that, so why don't you just go away. Run home to mother and father."

"I... I'll do it," Kythril whispered.

Now it was Eldwyn's turn to be surprised. "What?"

"I-I'll do it. You're right. I was...I was wrong to tell them. Whatever punishment you have in mind for me, I will take it. I... I just want you to forgive me..."

Eldwyn looked at Lucas, her mouth hanging open in astonishment. Lucas gave a helpless shrug. He didn't quite understand the dynamics at play here, but he knew enough that whatever it was, it wasn't his call to make.

After a time, Eldwyn seemed to come to a decision.

"Fine, lead the way then. You know where Lucas' house is, right?" She said, her voice dripping with venom.

"Yes," Kythril croaked. She swallowed nervously, but then got up and began making her way down the street, towards Lucas' house. Eldwyn and Lucas followed a little distance behind.

"Are you sure about this?" Lucas murmured in a low voice.

"I'm sick of her getting away with shit," Eldwyn said fiercely. "She betrayed me and not for the first time. It's about time someone taught her a lesson."

Her voice carried a tone of cool determination that Lucas hadn't heard from her before. Not knowing what else to say, he simply followed her, keeping his expression carefully blank.

He was **** to involve himself in any family's internal feud, but whatever she said, he felt at least partly responsible for what happened to Eldwyn. If going along with this allowed him to help repair the rift between Eldwyn and her sister, he would. And of course, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to spanking the ass of this beautiful young woman until it was fiery red.

The rest of the walk was tense and silent. Soon, they arrived at the house and went inside.

Lucas led the two sisters into his reading room, which seemed to have become the standard place for this kind of activity. He sat down in his chair, and Eldwyn quickly took the other, leaving Kythril to stand awkwardly in the middle of the room in front of them.

Eldwyn stared up at Kythril with a cold glare. "Well?"

"I... I don't know what..."

"We don't have all day. Get over his lap."

Kythril was as still as a statue and looked at her sister pleadingly, but Eldwyn didn't budge.

"Or leave. You choose."

Lucas felt his heart beating in his chest. He was amazed at how quickly this was happening. He wondered how much of this sudden ruthlessness in Eldwyn was his doing and how much of it had been inside of her all along, just waiting for something to draw it out.