Chapter 7 – Taken Again
1188 Words
Chapter 7 – Taken Again
Lyra didn’t sleep.
She stayed awake the entire night, her back pressed against the door, knees pulled close to her chest, fingers clenched tightly in her thin blanket.
Every sound felt louder.
Every shadow felt closer.
Every second stretched too long.
“…We’re not done with you yet.”
The whisper from earlier refused to leave her mind.
It replayed again and again, echoing in the silence.
---
Morning came as if nothing had happened.
The academy moved on.
As if no one had been taken.
As if no one had nearly died.
As if she didn’t exist.
---
Lyra stood in the kitchen again.
Same place.
Same work.
Same cold treatment.
“Move faster.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t drop that.”
“Yes.”
“Useless.”
“…Yes.”
---
Nothing had changed.
Except her.
---
Her hands paused for just a second as she carried a stack of plates.
The air around her felt… different.
Thicker.
Alive.
She could feel it now.
Not clearly.
Not fully.
But enough to notice.
---
Magic.
---
It lingered in the air like an invisible current.
Flowing.
Moving.
Breathing.
---
Lyra swallowed.
“…Why can I feel it…?”
---
“Hey.”
Her thoughts snapped instantly.
A hand slammed into her shoulder.
Hard.
The plates slipped.
Crash.
---
Pain shot through her arm as she fell to her knees again.
Fragments of porcelain were scattered across the floor.
Silence fell for half a second—
Then laughter.
---
“Seriously? Again?”
Lyra didn’t look up.
“I’m sorry…”
“Of course you are.”
A foot nudged one of the broken pieces toward her.
“Clean it. And don’t cut yourself this time.”
More laughter.
---
Lyra’s fingers trembled as she reached for the shards.
Her reflection stared back at her in the broken pieces.
Pale.
Tired.
Weak.
---
Her hand slipped.
A sharp edge sliced across her palm.
---
Pain.
Quick.
Clean.
---
Lyra flinched.
Her breath hitched.
Blood welled instantly, bright red against her skin.
---
“…Idiot.”
The voice came from above her.
Cold.
Uninterested.
---
Lyra froze.
That voice—
---
She looked up slowly.
Kael Draven stood there.
Watching.
---
Her heart skipped.
“…I—”
She didn’t know what to say.
Didn’t know what he expected.
---
His gaze dropped to her hand.
To the blood.
To the cut.
---
A second passed.
Two.
---
Then—
His eyes narrowed slightly.
---
Lyra followed his gaze.
And realized—
---
The bleeding had already stopped.
---
The wound—
Closed.
---
Right in front of him.
---
Her breath caught.
“…no…”
---
Too late.
He saw it.
---
Silence stretched between them.
Heavy.
Sharp.
---
Kael didn’t react outwardly.
But something in his eyes changed.
Slightly.
---
“…You’re careless,” he said flatly.
---
Lyra blinked.
That’s… it?
---
Relief flooded her chest.
“…yes…”
---
He looked at her for one more second.
Longer than necessary.
Then—
Turned.
And walked away.
---
But this time—
It didn’t feel like indifference.
---
It felt like he was thinking.
---
Lyra’s fingers curled slowly.
Her heart wouldn’t slow down.
---
“…He noticed…”
---
The thought made her stomach twist.
---
Everything was getting more dangerous.
---
Everything.
---
By evening, the sky darkened quickly.
Clouds rolled over the academy, heavy and low.
The air turned colder.
Sharper.
---
Storm coming.
---
Lyra finished her tasks later than usual.
Her body ached.
But her mind—
Wouldn’t stop.
---
The feeling.
The magic.
The way her body healed.
---
And the way Kael looked at her.
---
She stepped out into the corridor.
Alone.
Quiet.
---
Too quiet.
---
Her steps slowed.
Her instincts screamed again.
---
Something’s wrong.
---
She turned.
No one.
---
She kept walking.
Faster.
---
Then—
A shadow moved.
---
Too fast.
---
Before she could react—
A hand grabbed her from behind.
---
Lyra gasped.
Her body jerked violently.
“No—!”
A cloth pressed over her mouth.
The scent—
Sharp.
Bitter.
---
Her strength faded instantly.
---
“…again…” she choked out weakly.
---
“Did you really think we’d stop?”
The voice.
The same voice.
---
Her heart dropped.
No…
---
Not again—
---
Lyra forced her body to move.
To fight.
Her fingers clawed at his arm.
Her legs kicked wildly.
---
“Still resisting?” he muttered.
---
Pain exploded through her side as something struck her.
Hard.
---
Lyra gasped.
Her body went limp for a second.
---
But this time—
She didn’t give up.
---
“No…” she forced out, her voice shaking.
“No—!”
---
Something inside her reacted.
---
That same strange warmth.
That same sharp, hungry feeling.
---
Her hand moved.
Instinctively.
---
And for a split second—
The air around her shifted.
---
The man paused.
“…What was that—”
---
Lyra didn’t understand what she was doing.
But she didn’t stop.
---
Her fingers tightened.
Reaching.
Grabbing—
---
And suddenly—
The pressure around her weakened.
---
Just slightly.
---
Enough.
---
She twisted free.
---
Lyra stumbled forward, gasping for air.
Her body was shaking violently.
---
Run.
---
She ran.
---
Her legs screamed.
Her lungs burned.
But she didn’t stop.
---
Footsteps followed.
Fast.
Closer.
---
“You’re learning,” the man’s voice echoed behind her.
Amused.
Excited.
---
Fear surged.
---
Lyra turned a corner—
And slammed into something solid.
---
Her breath left her body.
---
Strong arms caught her before she could fall.
---
“…You again.”
---
That voice.
---
Lyra’s eyes widened.
---
Kael.
---
Her fingers clutched his coat instinctively.
“…please…”
---
For the first time—
There was no hesitation in her voice.
No restraint.
No pride.
---
Just desperation.
---
“…don’t let them take me…”
---
Kael’s gaze sharpened instantly.
---
Behind her—
The footsteps stopped.
---
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Deadly.
---
“…So,” the man’s voice echoed again, calmer this time.
“You’re involved now.”
---
Kael didn’t move.
Didn’t let go of her.
---
His arm remained steady around her.
Holding her in place.
---
“…Leave,” Kael said.
---
One word.
Cold.
Absolute.
---
A pause.
Then—
A soft chuckle.
---
“This isn’t over.”
---
The presence vanished.
---
Just like before.
---
But this time—
The tension remained.
---
Lyra’s body finally gave out.
---
Her grip tightened on Kael’s coat as her legs collapsed beneath her.
---
He didn’t let her fall.
---
“…You attract trouble,” he said quietly.
---
Lyra didn’t respond.
She couldn’t.
---
Her breathing slowed.
Her body went limp.
---
Unconscious.
---
Kael looked down at her.
Silent.
Still.
---
Then—
His grip tightened.
Just slightly.
---
“…What are you?”
---
The question lingered in the cold air.
---
Unanswered.
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- Writer
