Testing

Lyra was lost in thought, her mind racing with the complexities of the Parity Potion, when a sudden ripple in the shadow veil announced Dante's arrival. She looked up, a smile tugging at her lips as he stepped into her room, his arms laden with a bundle of fine clothing.

"Good morning, Lyra," Dante said, his voice warm and rich. "Trixie and Pixie have finished your robes."

Lyra's brow furrowed, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. "But I thought I said I didn't want them," she protested, her voice tinged with a hint of annoyance.

Dante smiled, setting the robes down gently on a nearby chair. "I know, but I'll just leave them here for you, in case you change your mind."

Lyra sighed, but there was no real anger in her expression. She knew that Dante meant well, even if his insistence on showering her with gifts could be a bit overwhelming at times.

"Anyway," she said, turning back to the bubbling cauldron before her. "I've been experimenting with the elixir, and I've realized that we have no idea if it will actually work. All of this is just guesswork and hypotheticals. Without proper testing, we won't know for sure."

Dante nodded, his expression growing serious. "We could test it on the ghouls," he suggested, his voice low and thoughtful. "The Nightfall Mafia commands a legion of them, as well as other Sanguines."

Lyra's eyes widened, a chill running down her spine at the casual way Dante spoke of using living beings as test subjects. It was a stark reminder of the dark undercurrents that ran beneath the surface of the Nightfall Mansion, the evil that lurked behind every polished facade.

"No," she said firmly, her voice brooking no argument. "I won't test the potion on ghouls. It's unethical."

Dante frowned, a flicker of frustration crossing his handsome features. "But Lyra, there is no other way. We need to know if the potion works as intended."

Lyra shook her head, her resolve unwavering. "We'll need to find someone who actually agrees to be a test subject. We can't just force this on anyone, ghoul or not."

A thought occurred to her then, and she looked up at Dante with a raised eyebrow. "Do you have any ghouls of your own?" she asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.

To her surprise, Dante's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and he looked away, unable to meet her gaze. "No, of course not," he mumbled, his voice uncharacteristically flustered. "Us royals can't produce ghouls. Only other vampires can."

Lyra's eyebrow climbed even higher, a small smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Oh, I see," she said, her voice filled with a teasing warmth.

Dante cleared his throat, clearly eager to change the subject. "Let me see what I can do," he said quickly. "But you're right. We need to discuss this further."

He paused, a sudden thought striking him. "I have an idea," he said slowly, his eyes lighting up with a mischievous glint. "But it's going to require a bit of finesse and diplomacy."

Lyra leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. "What did you have in mind?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Dante smiled, a slow, wicked curve of his lips that sent a shiver of anticipation down Lyra's spine. "Let's just say that it involves a certain family dinner, and a chance to gain some valuable allies in our cause."

Lyra's heart raced, her mind already spinning with the possibilities. She knew that convincing the other Sanguine families to support the Parity Potion would be no easy feat. But with Dante by her side, she felt a renewed sense of determination, a certainty that together, they could overcome any challenge that stood in their way.