Chapter 2: The Question Wanted To Answer
2087 Words
Lyra didn't move.
For several seconds, she simply stood there, staring at Kael.
Take her inside.
Not stay with her.
Not explain what is happening.
Inside.
As if she were a problem that needed to be moved out of sight.
Her fingers tightened around the sleeve of her dress.
“Where?”
Kael looked at her.
“The guest house.”
“I heard you.”
“Then go.”
Something in his tone made her chest tighten.
She looked past him at the High Seer.
The old woman wouldn't meet her eyes.
That hurt almost as much as Kael's words.
Lyra took a step toward Kael.
“You knew something about my mother.”
His expression barely changed.
“I said I'd speak to you later.”
“That's not an answer.”
“Lyra.”
“No.”
She surprised herself with how steady her voice sounded.
“I've spent most of my life being told that things are none of my business. I don't want to hear it again.”
A few nearby wolves had started watching them.
Kael noticed.
His eyes moved briefly across the clearing before returning to her.
“Not here.”
“Then where?”
He hesitated.
That was enough for Lyra.
“You don't know either, do you?”
His jaw tightened.
“I know enough to understand that you aren't safe.”
“From what?”
“I don't know yet.”
The honesty caught her off guard.
At least he hadn't pretended to have all the answers.
“Then let me help you find out.”
“No.”
The answer came too quickly.
Lyra stared at him.
“You don't even know what I can do.”
“I know you shouldn't be involved.”
“Why?”
“Because if the High Seer is right—”
He stopped.
Lyra waited.
“If she's right about what?”
Kael looked toward the old woman.
The High Seer shook her head almost imperceptibly.
Lyra saw it.
So did Kael.
Something was being kept from her.
Again.
Her frustration finally broke through.
“You're all doing it again.”
Kael frowned.
“Doing what?”
“Talking around me.”
Her voice cracked slightly.
“You look at each other, whisper things, and then expect me to walk away without asking questions.”
Kael's expression softened for a moment.
“I understand why you're angry.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Then tell me something.”
She swallowed.
“Why did you look afraid when you saw the mark?”
Kael went still.
Lyra watched him carefully.
He didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Before she could press him, footsteps approached.
Maya.
She came toward them quickly, worry written all over her face.
“Lyra.”
Lyra turned.
“I’m fine.”
Maya glanced at Kael.
“Are you?”
Lyra almost laughed.
“No.”
Maya moved closer.
“What happened?”
Lyra looked back at Kael.
“I found my mate.”
Maya's eyes widened.
“I know.”
“No, you don't.”
Lyra lowered her voice.
“He doesn't want me.”
Maya looked at Kael.
For the first time, some of the warmth disappeared from her expression.
“That isn't what I said.”
Kael's voice was quiet.
Lyra looked at him.
“You didn't have to.”
He stared at her.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The bond between them was still there.
She could feel it.
That was the worst part.
Even while she was angry with him, some part of her still wanted to move closer.
Lyra hated that she couldn't simply turn it off.
Kael looked away.
“Take her to the guest house.”
Maya stepped forward.
“I'll take her.”
Kael nodded.
Lyra turned to leave.
“Lyra.”
She stopped.
She didn't look back.
“I'm sorry.”
The words were so quiet that she almost thought she'd imagined them.
She looked over her shoulder.
Kael was still standing beneath the Moon Tree.
He looked less like an Alpha in that moment.
Just a man who had no idea what to do next.
It made her hesitate.
Then she remembered the mark on her wrist.
And the way everyone had looked at it.
She followed Maya.
Neither of them spoke until they were far enough from the crowd.
Maya finally broke the silence.
“Are you going to tell me what happened?”
Lyra let out a breath.
“I don't know what happened.”
“You found your mate.”
“Yes.”
“And?”
Lyra gave her a tired look.
“And apparently that's the least important thing that happened tonight.”
Maya frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“The High Seer knew my mother.”
Maya stopped walking.
“What?”
“I asked her about the mark.”
Lyra held out her wrist.
The silver crescent was still faintly visible.
Maya stared at it.
“I've never seen that before.”
“Neither have I.”
“Does it hurt?”
“No.”
“Then what does it do?”
“I don't know.”
Maya looked toward the clearing.
“Maybe you should stay away from the forest for a while.”
Lyra gave her a strange look.
“Why?”
“I don't know. I just have a bad feeling.”
Lyra smiled faintly.
“You and everyone else tonight.”
They continued walking.
But Lyra couldn't stop thinking about what the High Seer had said.
Her mother never told her.
She knew the words had been about her.
There was no other explanation.
When they reached the guest house, Maya opened the door.
Lyra stepped inside.
The room was small but comfortable. A bed stood against one wall, with a wooden table beside it and a single window overlooking the trees.
She walked to the window.
The festival was still visible in the distance.
The music had started again.
People were pretending the night was normal.
Lyra touched the pendant hanging around her neck.
It was the only thing her mother had left her.
She had worn it for years without ever knowing where it came from.
Tonight, for the first time, she wondered if it was another secret.
A knock sounded.
Maya opened the door.
The High Seer stood outside.
Lyra's heart jumped.
“Can I speak with Lyra alone?”
Maya looked at Lyra.
Lyra nodded.
Maya stepped outside.
The High Seer entered slowly and closed the door behind her.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Lyra said,
“You knew my mother.”
The woman nodded.
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you ever tell me?”
“Because she asked me not to.”
Lyra's anger returned.
“She died years ago.”
“I know.”
“She can't ask you to keep secrets anymore.”
The High Seer looked at her sadly.
“Some promises don't end when the person who made them dies.”
Lyra shook her head.
“That might be enough for you. It isn't enough for me.”
The woman sat down.
“I understand.”
“Then tell me.”
The High Seer studied her.
“Your mother came to this pack shortly before you were born.”
Lyra's breathing slowed.
“You said she was running from someone.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“I never knew their name.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I knew she was frightened. I knew she didn't want anyone to know where she had come from. And I knew that whatever she was running from was dangerous.”
Lyra sat opposite her.
“Then why did she come here?”
“Because she trusted someone.”
“Who?”
The High Seer hesitated.
“Your father.”
Lyra went still.
“My father?”
The woman nodded.
“Darius Ashbourne.”
Lyra had heard the name only a handful of times.
Always in fragments.
Never enough to understand.
“You knew him too?”
“I knew of him.”
“Where is he?”
The High Seer's expression changed.
“I don't know.”
Lyra stared at her.
“You don't know?”
“No.”
“Is he dead?”
“I don't know that either.”
For the first time that night, Lyra felt something other than anger.
Hope.
Small.
Dangerous.
She quickly pushed it down.
“If you don't know where he is, how do you know my mother was running from someone?”
“Because I saw what happened the night she arrived.”
“What happened?”
The High Seer looked toward the window.
“She came here alone.”
Lyra waited.
“She was injured. Frightened. And carrying you.”
Lyra's fingers tightened.
“What did she say?”
“She asked me to hide you.”
“From who?”
The High Seer looked directly at her.
“I don't know.”
Lyra frowned.
“Then what do you know?”
The woman reached beneath her robe and pulled out something wrapped in cloth.
She placed it on the table.
Lyra stared.
The cloth was old.
Slowly, the High Seer unfolded it.
A silver pendant lay inside.
Lyra's breath caught.
She knew it immediately.
Her mother had worn it every day.
But she'd never seen the symbol on its back.
A crescent moon surrounded by three small stars.
Lyra picked it up.
“Why do you have this?”
“Your mother gave it to me the night she brought you here.”
“Why?”
“She told me that if the mark ever appeared on you, I was supposed to give it back.”
Lyra looked down at her wrist.
The silver crescent was still glowing faintly.
Her stomach tightened.
“You're saying she knew this would happen?”
“I think she feared it might.”
Lyra turned the pendant over.
“What does this symbol mean?”
The High Seer was silent for so long that Lyra looked up.
Finally, the woman said,
“Moonborn.”
The word settled heavily between them.
Lyra frowned.
“What is that?”
“A bloodline.”
“What kind?”
“One that should have disappeared generations ago.”
Lyra waited for more.
None came.
“So my mother was Moonborn?”
The High Seer nodded.
“And me?”
The woman's eyes lowered to Lyra's glowing wrist.
“That is what we need to find out.”
A cold feeling moved through Lyra.
“Why is Kael afraid?”
The High Seer didn't answer immediately.
“He has his reasons.”
“That's not good enough.”
“No,” the woman admitted. “It isn't.”
A sharp howl sounded somewhere beyond the house.
Both women turned toward the window.
Another followed.
Closer.
The High Seer's expression changed.
“What is it?”
She stood.
“Stay here.”
“Why?”
The woman was already moving toward the door.
“Because whatever is out there should not be this close to the pack.”
Before she could open it, the door swung inward.
Kael stood outside.
His breathing was heavy.
There was blood on his shirt.
Lyra froze.
“What happened?”
Kael looked at her.
Then at the High Seer.
“We need to talk.”
The High Seer's face went pale.
“About what?”
Kael's eyes shifted toward the forest.
“The eastern patrol is missing.”
Lyra's stomach dropped.
“How many?”
“Five.”
The High Seer closed her eyes.
Kael continued.
“We found three of them.”
Lyra stared at him.
“Alive?”
Kael didn't answer.
She already knew.
“Who did this?”
“We don't know.”
A distant howl rolled through the trees.
Kael's expression hardened.
“But whatever attacked them wasn't a normal wolf.”
The mark on Lyra's wrist suddenly burned.
She gasped and grabbed it.
Kael's eyes dropped to her hand.
The High Seer whispered,
“Oh, no.”
Lyra looked between them.
“What?”
Neither answered.
Outside, something moved between the trees.
Slowly.
Watching the house.
Kael stepped in front of Lyra.
“Stay behind me.”
Lyra stared at his back.
For the first time that night, she didn't argue.
Because whatever was standing in the darkness outside...
had come looking for her.
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