No one spoke for several seconds. Kael was still staring out through the window at the gardens. The memory was faint. Almost unreal. But he was certain of one thing. His father had told him never to touch that flower. — Are you sure? Ethan asked quietly. Kael nodded. — Yes. Darius crossed his arms. — Why would your father forbid you from touching a flower? — I don't know. Lucian thought for a moment. — What did you see in the memory? Kael closed his eyes. He tried to bring the image back. The greenhouse. Sunlight pouring through the glass. His father standing in front of him. A much younger version of himself, perhaps six or seven years old. Then the flower. Midnight blue. Darker than the others. And that red light. — There was something behind it. Ethan immediately looked up. — Behind the flower? — I don't know. Kael ran a hand through his hair. — The memory is incomplete. Darius stepped closer. — Then don't force it. Kael opened his eyes. — I'm not forcing anything. — I know. Darius paused. — But if your Echo reacts again, we stop. Kael nodded. Lucian looked at the notebook. — There may be a reason your father told you never to touch that flower. Ethan headed toward the door. — Then let's go find out. --- A few minutes later, they reached the greenhouse. Two Black Raven knights were still guarding the entrance. They immediately bowed when Kael approached. — Patriarch. Kael gave them a nod. — Has anyone entered since the attack? — No. — You're certain? The knight nodded. — Absolutely. Darius examined the traces left behind by the battle. Most of the damage had already been secured. The broken windows had been temporarily covered with magical panels. Kael stepped inside. The air still carried a faint scent of damp earth. Some of the plants had been displaced during the fight. But the flowers were still there. And at the back of the greenhouse... the blue flower. Kael slowly approached it. No one spoke. He stopped a few steps away. The flower was beautiful. Its midnight-blue petals almost looked black under certain angles of light. Kael stared at it. His chest tightened slightly. Another image appeared. His father was crouching in front of him. One hand rested on his shoulder. — You see this flower? The younger Kael nodded. — Yes. His father looked around before continuing. — You must never touch it. — Why? His father smiled. A calm smile. But there was something different about it. Something more serious. — Because some things are meant to remain asleep. The memory vanished. Kael's eyes opened sharply. Darius was already beside him. — Kael? He breathed slowly. — I remember. Ethan stepped closer. — What did he say? Kael looked at the flower. — That some things had to remain asleep. Lucian remained still. The words seemed to mean something to him. — Your father used that expression sometimes. Kael turned toward him. — When? — When he talked about certain research. Kael stared at him. — And you never told me? Lucian sighed. — Because I didn't think it was connected. Darius looked at the flower. — Now it is. Kael nodded. He knelt in front of the plant. Ethan tensed. — You're going to touch it? Kael didn't answer. His hand remained a few inches from the petals. A faint red aura appeared around his fingers. Darius immediately took a step forward. — Kael. — I'm not touching it. The aura disappeared. Kael studied the soil around the plant. Something was wrong. The earth was slightly darker there. As if someone had recently disturbed it. He placed his fingers on the ground beside the flower. Then he felt something. A vibration. Very faint. — There's something underneath the soil. Ethan knelt beside him. — Here? Kael nodded. Darius motioned for the knights to step back. — Everyone out of the greenhouse. The two guards immediately obeyed. Lucian remained. — What about us? Darius looked at him. — You too. Kael stood. — No. Darius turned toward him. — Kael. — I want to understand what this is. — Then we'll do it without taking unnecessary risks. Kael sighed. — Fine. Darius turned to Ethan. — Get two people who can detect ancient enchantments. Ethan nodded. — I'll be back. He left the greenhouse. A few minutes later, he returned with two mages from House Veyron. They knelt beside the flower. One of them closed his eyes. A thin golden aura spread across the ground. Then he frowned. — There is something here. Kael stepped closer. — What? — A structure. — Natural? The mage shook his head. — No. He placed his palm against the soil. — It's ancient. Darius looked at Kael. — How old? The mage hesitated. — Several centuries, I'd say. Kael stared at the flower. — Underneath it? — Yes. — Can we open it? The mage looked at Darius. Then at Kael. — I wouldn't recommend opening it directly. Kael frowned. — Why? — Because the mechanism still appears to be active. Silence. Ethan looked at the plant. — Active? The mage nodded. — Very faintly. Kael felt his aura react. The same sensation he'd felt in A-02. Something was responding to his presence. He straightened. — Step back. Darius immediately understood. — Everyone out. This time, no one argued. Kael remained alone inside the greenhouse. Darius stayed a few meters away at the entrance. — If anything goes wrong, you get out. Kael nodded. He approached the flower. Then he extended his hand. He didn't touch the petals. Instead, he placed two fingers against the soil. A red light appeared. The ground vibrated. Kael felt his Echo of the Void react. A glowing line appeared around the flower. Then a second one. A circle slowly formed. The same symbol. The same incomplete circle. The same vertical line. Kael stepped back slightly. The mechanism activated. A small section of the ground sank. The soil parted. A hidden compartment appeared. Inside was a small metal plate. Kael picked it up. It was cold. Two words were engraved across its surface. Not a number. Not this time. VEYRON ORIGIN. Kael remained still. Behind the glass, Ethan watched. — What is it? Kael held up the plate. Darius stepped closer. He examined it. — Looks like an identification marker. Lucian, however, had gone pale. Kael noticed. — You know that inscription. Lucian hesitated. — I know the expression. — What does it mean? Lucian looked at the plate. — Veyron Origin. Kael frowned. — That's not very helpful. — It is. Lucian paused. — Your father used that expression. Kael turned fully toward him. — When? — In his notes. — What notes? Lucian remained silent. Ethan stepped in. — Lucian. The former professor sighed. — Some of your father's research was classified according to its origin. Kael waited. — Asteria. He pointed toward the plate. — Veyron. Then he added: — And a third category. Kael felt his heart beat faster. — Which one? Lucian didn't answer immediately. Darius looked at him. — Lucian. Finally, he said it. — Lorn. Kael froze. The Forest of Lorn. The place where his parents had supposedly died. For several seconds, no one spoke. Kael looked at the plate. Then the notebook. Then the blue flower. Everything suddenly seemed connected. Asteria. Veyron. Lorn. Three locations. Three origins. And perhaps one single story. — You knew, Kael whispered. Lucian immediately shook his head. — I knew he'd studied Lorn. I didn't know why. — You never told me. — Because your father asked me not to. Kael tightened his grip slightly around the plate. — Another thing he kept from me. Darius placed a hand on his shoulder. — Kael. He remained silent. Then he heard a sound. A faint crack. Everyone turned. The blue flower had completely opened. At its center was a small red light. Kael stepped closer. An inscription slowly appeared on the ground. ORIGIN THREE — LOCKED Kael stared at the words. Then a second line appeared. HEIR ACCESS REQUIRED. Ethan breathed out. — You again. Kael didn't answer. He simply placed the metal plate beside the symbol. The red light intensified. A vibration passed through the entire greenhouse. Then the mechanism stopped. Nothing opened. Nothing moved. Kael stared at the ground. — Something else is missing. Darius nodded. — Another piece. Kael shook his head. — No. He looked at the flower. — Something is missing. Lucian stepped closer. — What? Kael remained silent. Then his eyes fell on the notebook. He opened it. The page where his father had written the two messages seemed different. A new line had appeared beneath the old ones. A line that hadn't been there a few minutes earlier. Kael read it. “The first door shows the way.” Then a second sentence appeared. “The second keeps the memory.” And finally: “The third awaits the heir.” A shiver ran down Kael's spine. Ethan stepped closer. — Three doors. Kael nodded slowly. — Three places. Lucian looked at the final sentence. — And the third one is still locked. Kael slowly closed the notebook. His gaze settled on the blue flower. Then on the forest visible beyond the greenhouse windows. Somewhere far away was Lorn. The place where his parents were supposedly killed. But for the first time, Kael began to wonder if the story had ever been that simple. His father might not have simply been trying to understand what lay behind those ancient doors. Perhaps he'd been preparing a path. A path that began in Asteria. Passed through Veyron. And ended in Lorn. Kael looked at Darius. — We're going to have to go to the Forest of Lorn. Darius didn't answer immediately. Then he slowly nodded. — I knew it. Ethan looked at his brother. — When? Kael stared at the blue flower. — Not yet. He put the plate away. — Before that, we need to understand what this house is protecting. A deep sound suddenly echoed beneath the greenhouse. Once. Then nothing. Kael raised his eyes. Something had answered. But this time, he wasn't sure the response had come from the mechanism. It felt as though... it had come from much farther away.

The Blue Flower