Chapter 5:The Distance Between Us
1473 Words
Lyra stared at Kael.
“You heard it too?”
Kael didn't answer immediately.
He looked toward the trees as if he expected the voice to return.
“What did it say to you?” he asked.
Lyra hesitated.
She could still hear the words in her head.
Don't trust him.
She looked at him.
“Nothing important.”
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly.
“You're lying.”
“I know.”
His eyebrows lifted.
Lyra sighed.
“I don't know what I heard. That's the truth.”
It wasn't exactly a lie.
She just wasn't ready to tell him everything.
Kael seemed to realize that.
“Fine.”
He turned toward the house.
“Come inside.”
Lyra followed, but she kept a little distance between them.
The moment they entered, Maya looked up.
“What happened?”
“Nothing,” Lyra said.
Maya glanced at Kael.
“That's clearly not true.”
Kael ignored the comment.
“We leave at sunrise.”
Lyra stopped.
“Excuse me?”
“I'm taking you somewhere safer.”
“No.”
Kael looked at her.
“Lyra.”
“I've already told you I'm not going anywhere until someone tells me what's happening.”
“You heard the voice.”
“So did you.”
“That makes it worse.”
“Why?”
“Because whatever it is, it can reach both of us.”
Lyra folded her arms.
“And running away is going to fix that?”
“No.”
“Then why are we leaving?”
Kael rubbed a hand over his face.
For the first time, Lyra noticed how tired he looked.
“Because the longer we stay here, the more likely someone is to get hurt.”
Maya glanced between them.
“Where are you taking her?”
“The northern territory.”
Maya's eyes widened.
“That's three days from here.”
“I know.”
Lyra frowned.
“You're sending me three days away with a man I met tonight?”
Kael looked at her.
“I'll be with you.”
“That isn't helping your argument.”
Maya covered a smile.
Kael gave her a look.
“Don't encourage her.”
“I didn't say anything.”
“You didn't have to.”
For a brief moment, the tension in the room eased.
Lyra almost smiled.
Almost.
Then she remembered the voice.
Her smile disappeared.
Kael noticed.
“You should sleep.”
“I don't think I can.”
“You need to try.”
“Do you always give orders?”
“Usually.”
“That's unfortunate.”
Something that looked suspiciously like amusement crossed his face.
It disappeared before she could be sure.
“Goodnight, Lyra.”
He turned toward the door.
She watched him leave.
Maya waited until the door closed.
“You like him.”
Lyra stared at her.
“No.”
Maya raised an eyebrow.
“I didn't even finish.”
“You didn't have to.”
Maya laughed softly.
“You're blushing.”
“I'm angry.”
“Of course.”
Lyra picked up a pillow and threw it at her.
Maya caught it.
“Go to sleep.”
“I'll try.”
Maya settled on the other side of the room.
The house gradually became quiet.
Lyra lay awake, staring at the ceiling.
She thought about her mother.
About the pendant.
About the voice.
And about Kael.
She didn't understand him.
That bothered her more than she wanted to admit.
He could be cold one moment and unexpectedly gentle the next.
He kept pushing her away, yet every time something threatened her, he was the first person between her and danger.
She closed her eyes.
Maybe the bond was making her see things that weren't really there.
Maybe she wanted to believe there was something good beneath his walls because she had spent too long wanting someone to choose her.
Eventually, exhaustion won.
She fell asleep.
---
A few hours later, Lyra woke to the sound of movement outside.
She sat up.
Maya was still asleep.
The room was dark.
Lyra quietly got out of bed and walked toward the window.
Someone was standing near the edge of the clearing.
Kael.
He was alone.
Lyra opened the door.
He turned immediately.
“You should be sleeping.”
“So should you.”
“I wasn't tired.”
“You're a terrible liar.”
He gave her a faint smile.
“And you're terrible at following instructions.”
“I've been told.”
She stepped outside.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
The night was colder than before.
Lyra wrapped her arms around herself.
Kael noticed.
“Wait.”
He removed his jacket and held it out.
She looked at it.
“I don't need it.”
“You're cold.”
“I'll survive.”
“Lyra.”
She sighed and took it.
“Thank you.”
She slipped it over her shoulders.
It smelled like him.
Cedar and rain.
She immediately wished she'd noticed that less.
Kael looked away.
“Why are you awake?”
“I heard something.”
His expression changed.
“The voice?”
“No.”
She hesitated.
“I just couldn't sleep.”
Kael nodded.
He looked toward the forest.
“Neither could I.”
Lyra stood beside him.
“What were you doing out here?”
“Thinking.”
“About what?”
He was quiet for a moment.
“You.”
She looked at him.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
Her heart gave an embarrassing little jump.
“What about me?”
Kael turned toward her.
“I don't know what to do with you.”
Lyra frowned.
“That sounds reassuring.”
He almost smiled.
“I didn't mean it that way.”
“Then what did you mean?”
He looked away again.
“I'm supposed to know how to protect my people. I've been preparing for that my entire life.”
“And?”
“And I've never had to protect someone I was afraid of losing.”
Lyra went quiet.
She hadn't expected that.
“You're afraid of losing me?”
Kael's eyes met hers.
“I barely know you.”
“That didn't answer my question.”
“No.”
He paused.
“I am.”
Something shifted inside Lyra.
For once, she didn't have a clever response.
Kael looked down at his hands.
“My father died when I was seventeen.”
Lyra's expression softened.
“I didn't know.”
“Most people don't.”
“I'm sorry.”
He shrugged.
“It was a long time ago.”
“But you still remember.”
“Yes.”
She looked at him.
“That's why you became so serious.”
Kael gave a quiet laugh.
“You make me sound old.”
“You act old.”
“I'll remember that.”
Lyra smiled.
The silence between them felt different now.
Less uncomfortable.
More honest.
Then Kael's expression changed.
“What?”
Lyra noticed.
He was looking at her wrist.
The mark had started glowing again.
Lyra stared at it.
“I didn't do anything.”
“I know.”
Kael stepped closer.
The glow intensified.
He reached for her hand.
This time, Lyra didn't hesitate.
Their fingers touched.
The mark flashed.
A sharp pain shot through Lyra's head.
She gasped.
Kael caught her before she fell.
“Lyra!”
She gripped his shirt.
For a second, everything around her disappeared.
She saw a woman running through a forest.
Dark hair.
A torn dress.
Blood on her hands.
Her mother.
Lyra tried to reach her.
“Mom!”
The woman turned.
Her face was frightened.
She was holding a baby.
Lyra.
Then the vision changed.
A man stood behind her mother.
Lyra couldn't see his face.
But she heard his voice.
“You can't hide her forever.”
Her mother held Lyra closer.
“I don't need forever.”
The vision disappeared.
Lyra gasped and opened her eyes.
Kael was still holding her.
“What did you see?”
Lyra's breathing was uneven.
“My mother.”
His expression tightened.
“What was she doing?”
“She was running.”
“From who?”
“I don't know.”
Lyra looked at him.
“But someone was chasing her.”
Kael's face became unreadable.
“What did he say?”
Lyra remembered the words.
“You can't hide her forever.”
Kael went completely still.
“You heard that?”
“Yes.”
He slowly released her.
Lyra looked at him.
“Why does that scare you?”
Kael didn't answer.
“Kael.”
He looked toward the forest.
“Because I've heard those words before.”
Lyra's stomach dropped.
“From who?”
He turned back to her.
“My father.”
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