CHAPTER 8 - THE ECHO OF A NAME
1033 Words
"I think..."
"...they knew my name."
The words barely left Nyra's lips before dizziness washed over her and her knees buckled.
Azriel tightened his grip around her waist before she could fall.
"Easy."
His voice was calm, but the concern in his eyes was impossible to hide.
"I'm alright," Nyra whispered, though even she didn't believe it.
"No," he said gently. "You're not."
The captain lowered his head.
"My King... perhaps we should summon the royal physician."
Azriel nodded without taking his eyes off Nyra.
"Bring him to the west garden immediately.”
The captain hurried away.
Nyra tried to pull away from Azriel, suddenly aware of how close they were. His arm was still around her waist resting carefully against her back, steadying her.
Her heart raced for an entirely different reason.
"I can stand."
"Not yet."
He made no move to let her go.
"But I'd rather be certain."
Their eyes met. For a fleeting moment, the palace, the traitor, and the strange feather ceased to exist; rather it was only the quiet rhythm of their breathing.
Then Mira appeared, almost running.
"My Lady!"
She stopped abruptly when she noticed Azriel holding Nyra.
Her eyes widened.
"Oh..."
A mischievous smile flickered across her face before she quickly hid it.
"I came at the wrong time."
"Mira!,"Nyra called.
"What? I only came because one of the guards said you weren't feeling well."
Azriel finally released Nyra, though his hand lingered for a heartbeat longer than necessary.
"I'll leave her in your care until the physician arrives."
Mira bowed.
"You have my word."
Before leaving, Azriel looked at Nyra once more.
"Get some rest."
His voice softened this time.
"That's an order."
Nyra smiled faintly.
"Yes... Your Majesty."
For the first time that morning, a genuine smile appeared on his face.
"I think you only call me that when you're trying to annoy me."
Azriel turned and walked away yet Nyra watched until he disappeared beyond the hedges.
Mira quietly stepped beside her.
"You were staring."
"I was not."
"You absolutely were."
"I was making sure he got back safely."
Mira laughed.
"Of course you were."
Nyra sighed.
"You're impossible."
"So I've been told."
……..
The royal physician arrived shortly afterward.
He was an elderly Lycan with kind amber eyes and silver hair tied neatly behind his head.
"My Lady."
He bowed politely before examining her.
He checked her pulse,her eyes,even asked her to describe the vision in detail.When she finished, he became unusually quiet.
"Is something wrong?" Nyra asked.
He forced a reassuring smile.
"I believe your body is exhausted."
"That's all?," Nyra inquired.
"It would be wise to rest for a day or two."
Something in his expression told Nyra he wasn't saying everything.
But before she could question him, Azriel entered.
"Well?"
The physician faced his king.
"Physically, she's perfectly healthy."
"And the visions?," The King asked.
"They could be the result of emotional trauma."
Azriel wasn't convinced, nor was Nyra yet neither challenged the explanation.
………
That afternoon, the palace slowly returned to its usual rhythm.
Mira insisted Nyra stay indoors.
Instead, they spent hours arranging dresses, unpacking books, and laughing over Mira's terrible attempts at folding royal gowns.
"I've been doing this for years," Mira protested.
"And yet somehow you've folded the sleeves together."
"I call it creativity."
Nyra burst into laughter.
The sound surprised even her.
She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so freely.
"You have a beautiful laugh."
Nyra turned.
Azriel stood in the doorway.
Neither of them had heard him arrive.
Mira immediately stood.
"Your Majesty."
"You may leave us." The king ordered.
A smile appeared on Mira's face.
"With pleasure."
She slipped out before Nyra could stop her.
Azriel glanced at the half-folded dresses.
"I see Mira is teaching you palace etiquette."
Nyra laughed.
"I think she's making it up as she goes."
"That sounds like Mira."
He walked closer to her
"I wanted to see how you were feeling."
"I'm much better now "
"I'm glad you are."
After that response there were moments of silence as it normally used to be until Nyra broke it.
"I still can't believe all of this."
"What?"
She gestured around the room.
"The palace,the gardens,the people."
She looked back at him.
"I keep expecting someone to tell me it was all a mistake."
Azriel stepped beside her.
"They won't."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because I brought you here."
His answer came without hesitation.
"And as long as you're under my protection..."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"...no one will force you to leave."
Nyra felt tears threaten to form.
No one had ever spoken those words to her before.
Without thinking, she whispered,
"Thank you."
Azriel smiled gently.
"You don't have to thank me."
Before either of them realized it...
Their hands met
Neither pulled away.
His fingers slowly intertwined with hers.The touch was warm.
Nyra looked down at their joined hands before lifting her gaze to his.
Azriel slowly raised his free hand and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"You deserve to be happy, Nyra."
Her heart pounded so loudly she wondered if he could hear it.
"And if I don't know how?"
His thumb gently brushed her cheek.
"Then we'll figure it out together”.
Azriel leaned forward ever so slightly.
Nyra didn't step back.
Instead...
She closed her eyes like someone being surprised with a gift.
Three sharp knocks suddenly echoed through the room which made two of them stepping apart.
"Come in," Azriel called, his voice once again carrying the authority of a king.
A young guard entered hurriedly.
"My King..."
He bowed quickly.
"We've identified where the intruder entered the palace."
Azriel's expression darkened.
"Show me."
The guard hesitated.
"There's something else."
"What is it?"
"The hidden passage..."
His voice trembled but continued.
"...it wasn't forced open."
Nyra frowned.
"What does that mean?"
The guard took a breath.
"It means..."
"...someone inside the palace unlocked it."
The room fell silent.
Azriel's jaw tightened.
The traitor wasn't outside Noctaryn but had been walking its halls all along.
And somewhere, hidden behind the palace walls...
A pair of crimson eyes slowly opened.
- Writer
