~Lyra~
The auction droned on. My pulse thrummed as I mentally tracked the order of items while raised my paddle. “Ten thousand gold coins.”
The item on the block was an ancient mirror. A relic whispered to reveal one’s fated mate. Romantic nonsense, mostly, but its value far exceeded ten thousand.
I bid the minimum anyway.
A hush fell. Then, laughter.
One of the she-wolves who’d mocked me earlier barked a laugh. “Sure, there’s no reserve price, but ten thousand? Are you trying to insult the mirror or the host?”
I ignored her.
Again and again, I called out “ten thousand” for the priceless items that followed. Each time I was outbid, I simply withdrew—silent, steady.
And then the real prize was announced.
“And now,” Cecelia purred from the stage, “I present you something truly spec
