THE SILENCE SHE LEFT BEHIND
1599 Words
The palace gates slammed shut behind her. No one moved. For several long seconds, the Moon Pavilion remained frozen beneath the crimson glow of the Blood Moon.
Lucan stood exactly where she'd left him. His eyes remained fixed on the open gates.
She was gone. His wolf exploded inside him. Go after her! He clenched his jaw.
No. She is our mate! I made my choice. Then undo it! Pain shot through his chest.
It wasn't physical. It was deeper.
A bond that had barely formed now felt as though someone was trying to tear it apart with bare hands.
His breathing became uneven. He had expected relief. Instead… He felt hollow.
The silver bookmark still lay where Nyra had dropped it. No one had touched it.
The velvet box rested beside it, slightly open. The engraved words caught the moonlight.
Keep on believing. Lucan stared at it.
He remembered standing in the market three days earlier, searching every store until he'd found something that reminded him of her.
She never folded the corners of her books. She always used bookmarks.
When she'd lost her old one, she'd spent an entire afternoon searching the academy library before finally giving up.
He'd laughed at her. Then secretly gone looking for another. Now it lay abandoned between them.
Like a promise neither of them could keep. "Lucan." His father's voice broke through the silence.
Lord Vale approached with measured steps, stopping beside him. “
You did what had to be done." Lucan said nothing.
His father looked towards the palace gates."People will talk." "They always do."
"But they'll forget." "They forget everything." Lucan finally looked at him.
"Will they?" Lord Vale looked at him without hesitation. "They'll remember strength."
"Not sentiment." He rested a firm hand on Lucan's shoulder. "You've protected your future."
Lucan wanted to believe him. He truly did. Instead… His wolf growled.
You betrayed her. Across the pavilion, the High Priestess lowered her silver staff.
The sorrow in her face was impossible to hide. "In all my years..."
She spoke quietly, almost to herself. "...I have never witnessed a soul reject the Moon Goddess's first blessing."
Several elders exchanged uneasy glances. One old woman shook her head.
"This is an ill omen." "Hush." Another elder silenced her immediately. "Not here."
The High Priestess lifted her voice once more. "The ceremony will continue."
No one cheered. The remaining unmated wolves stepped back into the sacred circle.
One by one, they found their destined partners. The celebrations resumed.
But something had changed. Lucan’s laugh sounded forced, smile looked rehearsed.
His eyes drifted towards the palace gates. As though expecting Nyra to come back.
She never did. His wolf whispered again. She didn't even look back. No. She hadn't.
Not once. That hurt more than he expected.
A young noblewoman linked arms with her "Congratulations, Lady Bianca. "You and Lord Lucan will make such a powerful couple."
Bianca forced a smile. "Thank you." The words felt like stones in her mouth. She excused herself and stepped out onto the palace balcony.
The night air struck her face. Beyond the palace walls, where Lucan was, the forest stretched endlessly beneath the fading Blood Moon.
Neither of them spoke immediately. Finally, Bianca broke the silence. "You shouldn't be out here."
"I couldn't breathe in there." She nodded. "I know." Another long silence followed.
Lucan looked towards the forest. "What if..."
He stopped himself. Bianca frowned. "What?" He shook his head. "Nothing." She searched his face. "You regret it."
He laughed bitterly. "Does it matter?" "You made your choice." "So did you." Her expression faltered.
Before she could answer, the balcony doors opened. A palace servant hurried towards them,
breathing hard. "My lady." "My lord."
"The Alpha King is asking if Lady Nyra is back." Bianca's heart skipped. "She's not yet back?"
The servant looked confused. "No, my lady."
"We assumed she had returned and retired to her chambers." Lucan's stomach tightened. Something colder than guilt settled over him.
An hour later, the banquet had ended. The last of the guests departed beneath a sky now emptied of its crimson glow.
The Blood Moon had passed. Gareth climbed the palace steps without looking back.
As he reached the entrance hall, the head butler approached and bowed deeply.
"Your Majesty." "What is it?" "My Lord..." "...Lady Nyra has not returned." Gareth paused.
Only for a moment. His expression hardened. "Has anyone checked her chambers?"
"Yes, Your Majesty." "They're empty." A long silence followed. Then Gareth spoke with the same calm authority he used in council meetings.
"She embarrassed herself." "Now she's attempting to embarrass this family." The butler lowered
his head.
"What are your orders, Your Majesty?" Gareth looked towards the dark windows overlooking the palace grounds. "She'll come back." "If she has any sense at all..." "...she'll return before sunrise."
He turned and walked away. No guards were sent. No riders saddled their horses. No one searched the forest.Beyond the palace walls…
The night swallowed every trace of Nyra Ashbourne. And inside the palace… No one realised that by waiting until morning… They had already lost precious time.
The palace woke beneath a grey sky. The celebration was over.
Silver ribbons still fluttered from the balconies, and wilted moon lilies lay scattered across the marble courtyard like forgotten memories of the night before. Servants quietly gathered broken lanterns while others scrubbed wine stains from the banquet hall floor.
It looked as though the palace was trying to erase what had happened.
Inside the royal dining hall, breakfast was served with its usual precision. Fresh bread.
Honey. Fruit. Tea. No one touched any of it. Alpha King Gareth Ashbourne entered exactly as he did every morning.
Every servant bowed. Every guard straightened. Routine never changed.
He sat at the head of the long table and unfolded the reports that had been delivered before dawn.
Bianca sat opposite him. She had barely slept.
Dark circles rested beneath her eyes, and the tea in front of her had long since gone cold.
Lucan sat beside Lord Vale. He looked no better. Neither young Alpha had spoken since their arrival. .
The silence stretched until Gareth lowered the report in his hands. His eyes settled on the empty chair halfway down the table.
Nyra's chair. He frowned. "Where is Lady Nyra?" No one answered.
The servants exchanged uneasy glances. Finally, the head butler stepped forward.
"My King..." His voice wavered. "Lady Nyra never returned to the palace."
The room became still. Gareth looked up slowly. "What do you mean she never returned?"
"We checked her chambers before sunrise."
"They were empty." A muscle tightened in Gareth's jaw. "The gate guards?"
"They did not see her return, Your Majesty." Bianca's fingers tightened around her teacup.
She stared at the polished surface of the table. Lucan remained motionless.
Only his wolf reacted. Find her. He closed his eyes briefly. I know. Then why are we sitting here?
Across the table, Gareth rose to his feet. His chair scraped sharply against the marble floor.
"So." "She intends to make a spectacle of herself." His voice carried no fear.
Only irritation. "Captain Rowan." The commander of the Royal Guard stepped forward immediately.
"My King." "Assemble thirty riders." "The eastern road." "The western villages."
"The river crossings." "Every inn within a day's ride." "Search every route leading away from the capital."
He paused. "When you find her..." "...bring her home." The captain bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Bianca finally looked up. "Father..." Gareth turned towards her. "What if she isn't on the roads?"
"She is." "But what if—" "Enough." His voice remained calm. "Your sister embarrassed herself before the entire kingdom."
"She'll discover very quickly that pride doesn't fill an empty stomach." Bianca lowered her eyes.
He wasn't listening. He never had. Lucan pushed back his chair. "I'm going."
Lord Vale looked at him. "For what purpose?" Lucan’s eyes met his father's . "She's still one of our people."
Lord Vale studied him carefully. "You rejected her." "I know." "Then leave this to the guards."
Lucan's expression didn't change. "I won't." His father sighed. "I thought your heart was stronger than this."
Lucan almost laughed. His heart wasn't the problem. It was his wolf. Every passing minute felt like another claw tearing through his chest. She's alive.
His wolf sounded certain. She's waiting. Without another word, Lucan turned and walked from the hall.
Outside, thirty horses already stood ready in the palace courtyard. Captain Rowan climbed into his saddle.
"Lord Lucan." Lucan mounted his own horse. "When do we leave?" The captain looked towards the palace doors.
"As soon as His Majesty gives the order." The great doors opened. Gareth stepped into the morning light.
He looked over the assembled riders before speaking. "Bring my daughter back."
The words sounded almost fatherly. But those who knew Gareth understood the truth.
He wasn't asking them to save Nyra. He was asking them to prevent another scandal.
Captain Rowan drew his sword and raised it high. "Ride!" The palace gates swung open.
Thirty horses thundered through them. None of the riders noticed Martha standing alone beneath the balcony, clutching her apron with trembling hands.
She watched the search party disappear into the distance. Then she lifted her eyes towards the dark line of forest beyond the hills.
For reasons she couldn't explain… Her heart told her they were searching in the wrong place.
Far beyond the reach of the palace… Beyond the villages… Beyond the roads...
The Forbidden Forest waited in silence. And somewhere beneath its ancient canopy...
Nyra Ashbourne could be in danger.
- Writer
