Lyra POV
The weight of Morgana’s words seemed to crush the air around me, each syllable a stone dropping onto my chest. Jaxon—a murderer? A traitor? Darius’s brother? My mind spun, a whirlwind of shock and betrayal that made the ground beneath my feet feel unsteady. I took another step back, my heart racing, my eyes fixed on Jaxon, searching for something—anything—that would say this was a lie. But what I saw in his face, the raw pain mixed with a guilt he couldn’t hide, only deepened the void growing inside me.
“Lyra…” Jaxon’s voice was low, almost a plea, but I raised my hand, cutting him off before he could continue. My throat was tight, words lodged like shards of glass.
“No,” I murmured, my voice trembling. “Don’t say anything. Not now.” I couldn’t listen, couldn’t bear more truths
