CHAPTER 4 - DON'T TRUST THE VEYRS
1321 Words
Lyra couldn't look away from Elias.
His face was only inches from the memory she had just recovered.
Lucien.
The fire.
The blood.
The ring.
And those final words.
Don't trust the Veyrs.
Her fingers curled around the ring.
Elias noticed.
"What did he tell you?"
Lyra's eyes lifted.
"Nothing."
"You're lying."
She almost laughed.
"Now you know how it feels."
Elias leaned back.
For the first time since she had met him, he looked uncertain.
Not afraid.
Uncertain.
"Lyra."
"Don't call me that."
His expression tightened.
"What should I call you?"
She looked away.
He already knew the answer.
Neither of them said it.
The silence between them grew heavier.
Then Elias spoke.
"Amara."
Lyra closed her eyes.
Hearing her old name from his mouth felt different.
Not like hearing it from the stranger on the phone.
Not like reading it in an old document.
It sounded almost intimate.
And she hated that.
"Don't."
"Why?"
"Because that person doesn't exist anymore."
"She does."
"No."
"You disappeared."
"I survived."
Elias studied her.
"There's a difference."
Lyra looked at him.
"You wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
She almost told him.
Almost.
But the memory of Lucien stopped her.
Don't trust the Veyrs.
She opened the car door.
Elias didn't stop her this time.
"Where are you going?"
"Somewhere you aren't."
"That's not safe."
"Neither are you."
She stepped out.
"Lyra."
She turned.
Elias was still sitting behind the wheel.
His voice was quiet.
"Someone broke into your apartment."
"I know."
"They left you a photograph."
"I know."
"Someone has been following you."
"I know."
"And you still think walking away from me is the dangerous option?"
Lyra stared at him.
"Yes."
She closed the door.
Then walked away.
She made it six steps.
"Elias."
He had gotten out of the car.
He stood behind her.
"Your apartment isn't safe."
"I'll find somewhere else."
"Where?"
She didn't answer.
"Do you have a friend?"
"Mina."
"Can she protect you?"
"No."
"Then where will you go?"
Lyra turned around.
"Why do you care?"
Elias's eyes stayed on hers.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then:
"I don't know."
The honesty caught her off guard.
He looked away first.
"That's what concerns me."
Lyra's chest tightened.
She hated the way he looked at her.
Like he was trying to solve a puzzle.
Like he was afraid of what the answer might be.
She took a breath.
"I'll find somewhere."
"Tonight?"
"Yes."
"In the middle of a storm?"
"Yes."
"With someone possibly watching you?"
"Yes."
Elias sighed.
"You're impossible."
"And you're intrusive."
"Fair."
She turned again.
"Goodnight, Elias."
"Lyra."
She stopped.
He took something from his coat pocket.
A card.
He held it out.
She didn't move.
"It's a number."
"I have a phone."
"A private number."
She looked at the card.
"No name?"
"You know my name."
"That's exactly the problem."
Something flickered across his face.
Then he lowered his hand.
"Call me if you need help."
"I won't."
"I know."
Lyra walked away.
This time, Elias let her.
---
She didn't go to Mina.
That was the first decision she regretted.
The second was walking back toward her apartment.
She didn't enter the building.
Instead, she stood across the street and watched it.
Six floors.
One broken window.
One dark apartment.
Her home didn't feel like hers anymore.
She took out her phone.
Her thumb hovered over Mina's name.
Then stopped.
If someone was watching her, calling Mina could put her in danger too.
Lyra locked the phone.
A taxi slowed beside her.
The driver rolled down his window.
"Miss?"
Lyra stepped back.
"No, thank you."
The taxi continued.
She waited.
Five minutes.
Ten.
Nothing.
Maybe she was imagining things.
Maybe fear was turning every shadow into a threat.
She almost believed it.
Then she noticed the man standing inside the florist shop.
The shop was closed.
He was standing behind the dark glass.
Watching her.
Lyra's blood went cold.
She stepped backward.
The man didn't move.
She turned and walked.
Not fast.
Not yet.
She crossed the street.
The man stepped out of the florist shop.
Lyra started running.
---
Elias saw her before she saw him.
He had remained across the street.
He hadn't intended to follow her.
That was what he told himself.
Then he saw the man leave the florist shop.
Elias's expression hardened.
He reached for his phone.
"Where are you?"
His investigator answered immediately.
"Still working."
"I need a name."
"Whose?"
"Man following Lyra."
A pause.
"Send me a photograph."
Elias raised his phone.
The man had disappeared.
"He's gone."
"Then find him."
Elias ended the call.
He looked toward the street.
Lyra was running.
The man was nowhere in sight.
Elias moved.
---
Lyra turned into a narrow alley.
Immediately, she knew she'd made a mistake.
Dead end.
She stopped.
Her breath came hard.
Footsteps entered the alley behind her.
Slow.
Unhurried.
She backed toward the brick wall.
A figure appeared beneath the streetlight.
Male.
Tall.
Dark clothes.
His face was hidden beneath a hood.
Lyra's hand went into her coat pocket.
Keys.
She wrapped her fingers around them.
The man took another step.
"Amara."
Her blood turned to ice.
Nobody had called her that in six years.
She backed away.
"Who are you?"
The man didn't answer.
Instead, he reached into his coat.
Lyra raised the keys.
"Don't."
The man stopped.
Then smiled.
"You really don't remember."
A second voice came from behind him.
"Step away from her."
Elias.
The hooded man turned.
Elias stood at the mouth of the alley.
His expression was no longer calm.
The stranger stared at him.
Then laughed softly.
"Veyr."
Elias took one step forward.
"Walk away."
"You're protecting her?"
"Yes."
The stranger's smile disappeared.
"Then you really don't know what she did."
Lyra's heart slammed against her ribs.
Elias stopped.
"What did she do?"
The man looked at Lyra.
"Ask her."
Then he ran.
Elias chased him.
Lyra remained against the wall.
Her entire body was shaking.
She heard footsteps disappear into the distance.
Then silence.
Elias returned alone.
He was breathing harder now.
He looked furious.
"Did you know him?"
"No."
"He called you Amara."
Lyra said nothing.
"Lyra."
"I said no."
"He knew your real name."
She looked away.
Elias stepped closer.
"What happened six years ago?"
"I don't remember."
"You just remembered Lucien giving you that ring."
Her eyes snapped toward him.
"You were listening."
"You said it out loud."
Lyra's jaw tightened.
Elias lowered his voice.
"Tell me what you remember."
"Why?"
"Because somebody is hunting you."
"Maybe because of you."
His expression hardened.
"Maybe."
That answer surprised her.
He didn't defend himself.
Didn't deny it.
Lyra stared at him.
"What aren't you telling me?"
Elias looked away.
For the first time, she saw something beneath his confidence.
Pain.
"Lucien wasn't the only person who died that night."
Lyra froze.
"What?"
"There were three bodies."
Her breath caught.
"You said Lucien died."
"I said nothing about the others."
"Who were they?"
"We never found out."
Lyra stared at him.
"Never?"
"No."
"What do you mean?"
"The fire destroyed most of the evidence."
"And you still think I know what happened."
"I know you were there."
"So were you?"
Elias went silent.
Lyra stepped closer.
"You were there."
His eyes met hers.
"Yes."
The word landed heavily.
Lyra's heart began to race.
"Then why didn't you find me that night?"
Elias looked at her.
"Because I thought you were dead."
"And six years later?"
"I found you."
"How?"
His eyes dropped to the silver ring on her finger.
"Because Lucien left something behind."
Lyra looked down.
The ring.
Elias's voice became quieter.
"A message."
She looked up.
"What message?"
He held her gaze.
"He told me that if anything happened to him, I was supposed to find the woman wearing his ring."
Lyra stopped breathing.
Elias took one step closer.
"And that woman was supposed to be dead."
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