Leaving hadn't been a decision, it had been a need. A given. There was no place for her there anymore, not after what they'd done. Not after what she'd seen. She tried to push the image away, but it clung to her thoughts like sharp claws. Her brother's howl, broken, barely human. The Alpha's fangs, glinting in the moonlight. And the silence afterward, heavy, crushing, as if the forest itself were holding its breath.
She hadn't cried. Not yet. It was as if the tears were stuck somewhere, drowned under rage and injustice. Why him? Why them? But Lyra had filed the questions away in a corner of her mind. She knew they would return, later, in the solitude of the nights, like insatiable ghosts. For now, there was the urgency to leave.
When she finally emerged from the cover of the trees, the sky lay before her, vast and indifferent. The stars, those damn stars, shone as if nothing had happened. She took a deep breath, the cool air biting at her lungs. She didn't know where she was going, only that she couldn't stay. She'd stolen enough money from the pack's stash to last a few weeks. Maybe a month if she was careful. But caution had never been her strong point.
The first village she passed through was deserted at this hour. The shutters of the houses were closed, and only an old lamp flickered at the entrance of an inn. She hesitated for a moment. Her stomach growled, but the idea of stopping, of exposing herself, made her nervous. Finally, she pushed open the door, her abrupt movements betraying her impatience.
The interior was dark, the smell of tobacco and burning wood lingering in the air. A man sat near the counter, a half-empty glass in front of him. He looked up as she entered, his brow furrowing slightly.
"Are you lost?" he asked hoarsely.
She ignored the question, heading straight for the counter. The woman behind the register eyed her suspiciously, but said nothing. Lyra placed a few bills on the worn wood.
"To eat. No matter what."
The woman raised an eyebrow, but took the money and disappeared into the back room. Lyra sat up, aware of the man's gaze still on her. She tried to ignore him, but after a moment, he began to speak.
"There aren't many people who pass by here, even less at this hour."
She didn't answer, but he didn't seem to mind.
"You're not from around here, that's obvious. You're running away from something, right?"
She looked up, ready to tell him to mind his own business, but he was smiling, a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Don't worry, kid, I've seen others."
The woman returned with a plate, which she set down in front of Lyra without a word. She ate in silence, but the man didn't move, continuing to observe her as if she were a riddle to be solved. When she was finished, he leaned on the counter.
"If you go further south, be careful. There are stories going around. Things that have nothing to do with what you're running away from."
She frowned, suspicious.
"What kind of stories?"
He shrugged.
"Legends. Curses. People disappearing without a trace. But hey, you don't seem like the type to believe in that crap, do you?"
She didn't answer, but a part of her was intrigued. Legends always had some truth to them, even the most absurd ones. She stood up, ready to leave, but he added something that made her stop short.
"If you come across a man named Kael Drayven, be wary."
The name echoed in her head, like a distant echo. She didn't know why, but it seemed strangely familiar. She turned to ask for clarification, but the man had already looked away, taking a long sip from his drink.
Outside, the air was even colder, and she hugged her jacket tighter. She walked to the edge of the village, her mind clouded by the man's words. Kael Drayven. Who was he, and why did the name seem important to her?
The moon shone high in the sky, lighting her path as she continued on her way. She didn't know where she was going, but one thing was certain: this journey wouldn't be as simple as she had hoped.
/0/67147/coverbig.jpg?v=6b9233ffb86defaaee9ff13b22eaa4e4)
View More Comments on App
/0/71321/coverbig.jpg?v=66b37eb8b1c7502e6e58caeab2c07925)
/0/71316/coverbig.jpg?v=d120edfc595220e29f599bab7a546f88)
/0/71371/coverbig.jpg?v=45534e54ad36109b6f207435dbe4052f)
/0/71370/coverbig.jpg?v=826938fa2d6147a359ff89b8580da6c0)
/0/71307/coverbig.jpg?v=22532312abb581bb0af87ccc4a8b6038)
/0/70582/coverbig.jpg?v=22532312abb581bb0af87ccc4a8b6038)
/0/46101/coverbig.jpg?v=24f631093b20cfba9623da78c4fed58c)
/0/21791/coverbig.jpg?v=f568139e11ab3cc3e7a79e53b2dfdbed)
/0/72386/coverbig.jpg?v=7b4e9f94ea6958f205248ec1450c94f2)
/0/57632/coverbig.jpg?v=e2f48eed89a46e424c9cb52014c76aa7)
/0/68276/coverbig.jpg?v=e850c968fd814f48daf5abddf2735a00)
/0/63234/coverbig.jpg?v=f7c1ca52094ecdabea743fdf02b954e4)
