30 June 1995
22:30
Dunblane, Scotland
The village lay settled beneath a restless sky, filled with thick, swirling clouds that moved like dark ink across the heavens. Mist clung low along the stone paths. Rain fell in a constant whisper, gathering in scattered pools that trembled whenever the wind skimmed across them. The night felt unsettled, as though the world itself held its breath in quiet anticipation.
On the small front porch of the cottage, Tiffany Luna Clark remained still with her back pressed to the doorway. Her legs felt unsteady beneath her, her pulse quick and uneven. Her lips were still warm from Eric's kiss, the first kiss she had ever shared with anyone. She had imagined that such a moment would fill her with excited joy and wonder. Instead, the warmth in her chest felt heavy and foreign. The world around her seemed sharpened to a point. The rhythm of the rain against the gutter grew strange and insistent. Even the cool, damp air brushing her skin felt alive in a way she could not understand.
She reached for the door handle, seeking the comfort of the light inside. The moment her fingertips grazed the cold metal, agony ripped through her left palm with such violence that she fell to her knees. A searing bolt of pain exploded from deep beneath her skin. A brilliant streak of gold tore its way across her palm, carving itself into her flesh with a sound like ice cracking under pressure. Light burst upward in a blinding flare, burning bright and furious, as though a star long trapped within her had finally broken free. The porch lamp above her flickered wildly before the bulb burst in a shower of sparks that illuminated the storm-washed yard.
Her scream shattered the quiet night. "Mom"
The front door flew open and slammed against the wall. Angelic Clark stood frozen in the doorway, her face pale and her breath caught in her throat. For a single moment, she could only stare at the glowing mark burning itself into Tiffany's palm. The shape emerged clearly, carved with painful precision. A strong V crossed with an L, all encircled by a rising sun that continued to glow even as the skin underneath reddened and blistered.
Angelic whispered a single word filled with dread. "No." Her voice wavered. "This cannot be happening."
"Mom, it burns," Tiffany gasped as sparks burst from both palms. They shot upward like golden embers, humming with a deep, vibrating energy that pulsed through the hallway, making the wooden beams overhead tremble. The wind outside shrieked, and the rain beat against the windows with sudden force, as though responding to her pain.
Angelic lunged forward and caught her by the shoulders. "Inside. Now." She pulled Tiffany to her feet, dragged her across the threshold, and forced the door shut with a shaking hand. The familiar scent of lavender and warm stew lingered in the air, but felt distant beneath the rising surge of energy radiating from Tiffany's body. The walls quivered gently as her uncontrolled power pulsed through the house.
Angelic guided her swiftly up the stairs, half carrying her, and rushed her into her bedroom. She locked the door, pulled the curtains closed, and pressed her hands against the window frame as though she were holding something unseen at bay. The golden glow around Tiffany cast shadows that flickered across the room like living things.
When Angelic turned, her eyes reflected a sorrow Tiffany had never witnessed before. "The mark," she said quietly, "belongs to the Via Lucis, the Way of Light. It appears only to the chosen. Your father bore it. Your brother bore it as well. But never in our history has it appeared on a daughter."
Tiffany felt her breath catch. "My father? The one who left us without a word"
Angelic looked away for a moment, fighting emotion. "I told you he abandoned us. That was not the truth. He saw your death in every vision. He believed the only way to keep you safe was to disappear. He allowed the world to believe we all died in the fire. Even your brother believes it. Even the Lukyans believe it."
The light blazing from Tiffany's hands intensified as her confusion and fear rose within her. It flashed across the silver fabric of her dress, making the dresser tremble. A framed photograph of her as a child rattled, before falling to the floor.
"Why me?" she whispered, her voice shaking.
"We do not know," Angelic replied softly. "But your awakening changes everything. Rest for now. At dawn, I will send word to your father. He is the only one who can guide you through what comes next."
Tiffany lay down on her bed, trembling from the lingering ache. The glow in her hands faded slowly. She reached instinctively for the golden locket around her neck, the one she had worn since she was five, given to her by the boy she never forgot. Its weight grounded her as her world shifted beneath her feet.
She closed her eyes, trying to steady her breath. The air felt heavy with something ancient watching from the shadows. A name slipped from her lips, quiet and filled with longing.
"Jamie."