A promise
1097 Words
Amara ran until she reached the loose rock lanes on the riverside of the market, her basket swinging against her side.
She looked around frantically, wide-eyed and panicking, expecting the figure in the dark cloak to emerge at any moment.
Without anything, she kept moving, before long she rounded a corner too sharply. Then, without warning, her foot caught on a loose cobblestone and she fell forward.
A hand caught her arm, halting her fall. Amara’s heart slammed as she looked up into Lyra’s sharp eyes.
“You okay?” the seer asked, concern creasing her forehead.
Amara nodded, relief washing over her. “I… thought I saw someone.”
Lyra’s gaze flicked behind her. Around. And back again just to be sure, then she asked; “Should we go?”
“Please,” Amara scrambled to her feet.
Within minutes, Lyra had guided Amara through twisting alleys to the safety of a quiet courtyard beside the pack’s hall.
The scent of fresh pine and stone replaced the spice-laden market air. Amara leaned against the cool brick, pressing her forehead to the wall.
Lyra crouched before her. “Tell me what you saw.”
Her hands shook as Amara closed her eyes. “A hooded figure, he was following me, and I didn’t realize… He asked… He asked if I remembered him.”
Lyra gave a reassuring arm squeeze to help Amara calm her nerves “Then we need to get to the Alphas now. Whoever it is will be found and then we can get answers…”
“Yh, let’s do that now.” Amara managed, still shaking. A sob caught in Amara’s throat.
Memories of fire and smoke surged, as vivid as the moment she experienced them.
“Breathe. Just breathe, whatever it was, it won’t make any moves with me here.”
Amara obeyed, counting each shallow breath, willing herself back into control as she said weakly; “I thought I’d moved past this. I was so terrified I didn't even look at their faces… What if someone else survived?”
Lyra’s eyes softened. “Don’t burden yourself with all these thoughts right now. You’re deeply hurt, and hurt like this doesn’t just disappear. You need to be able to think clearly, this could be the grief speaking.”
Amara nodded. “I… I’ll try.”
“Let’s move then. They’ll want to hear this.” Lyra completed.
×××
Inside the council room, Lucian and Derrick watched the door. Lucian’s knuckles whitened on the table; Derrick ’s jaw was clenched.
Both looked up as Lyra opened the door and ushered Amara in. Tea was set for them, but no one would be touching it, not yet at least.
Lucian rose. “Are you alright, Amara?”
“I am now,” she whispered, her chest tight but she took a steadying breath. “Something… Someone followed me in the market.”
Derrick leaned forward ”No need to worry about that, we have already sent scouts, that should narrow the search and reduce how long it will take to find who that was. As long as they're within the borderlines.”
Lyra added, “I feel terrible for being so useless. I didn’t sense anything. I was busy following another disturbance. I really need to start pulling my weight here, this could be… Big.”
“It’s ok, Lyra. Maybe this was supposed to happen. I don't even want to think about what might’ve happened if you weren't there.”
He paused, letting his tone calm, then asked, “Do you think it’s connected to what happened before?”
“I feel it might be related somehow. But I don’t know how. Not yet at least.”
Amara heard them go back and forth with genuine concern in their tones. But it never felt directed at her…
Maybe it was the grief speaking, but she felt alone again.
She had not forgotten the scar in her mind that refused to heal, but it was bearable in ways she couldn't express. Especially with the help of Lucian and Lyra… enough to make her consider helping in earnest.
She was making progress, opening up to them, then this happened.
“That encounter triggered something in me. I felt fear… like when the beast chased me through the woods, like the fire was chasing me again. Like I would lose everyone again.” She croaked out, her voice quivering, hands shaking.
Derrick’s eyes narrowed. “You must be going through a lot.”
“She is, but she's strong. Despite it all, she tried her very best to tell us what she could. To help in any way possible… It's just unfortunate this happened.” Lucian leaned back as he folded his arms.
Amara blinked for a second then winced, like she could see it all replay in her mind, each time the reaction worse than the last. Her hands quivered as she tried to speak.
She paused for what might have been hours or mere minutes but couldn't even string a single sentence together.
Lyra knelt beside her chair. “It's ok, take your time we don't understand what you might be going through, but we all understand grief, loss in one way or the other.”
She looked up at each of them, really looked. Now she saw them more as people than strangers or fated mates, even the room seemed to feel warmer — filled with concern rather than threats.
“I almost… I almost shut down completely,” Amara trembled meeting Lucian’s gaze.
“Just like I said before, Amara. We won't push too hard. Even now….” Lucian replied.
She swallowed. “I’m terrified of what might happen if I get too close… if I become too familiar. But this pain isn't something I can handle alone…”
She continued “I have never been the strongest, or the one with the sharpest will, but I have tried… and I’ve learnt from people that strength doesn't come from one's ability to bottle up pain, but share it.”
“It means a lot to me that you all have been so welcoming, and that has given me the will to try…. at least try to get answers. So, I will tell you what I know, if it will help even in the slightest.”
Lyra nodded. “Thank you, this truly means a lot to us..”
Amara felt tears prick her eyes — but these were not tears of terror. They were a promise. A promise to find answers.
- Writer
