Luna's Lament: The Caged Healer

CHAPTER 4 - ESCAPE - LYRA'S POV

''Morning,'' Alpha Kael greeted me when I woke up.

For a moment, I forgot where I was, and then the putrid smell filled my nostrils again, and I remembered I was in the Pit, and despair clenched in my gut. A small part of me hoped Tyson would come for me. Maybe he didn't know I was in here? Surely he'd go to the tower where I was meant to be imprisoned, and he'll find out. Or... What if the guards tell him that I escaped and ran away? No. Don't sympathize with him. He didn't believe me that I didn't kill his father. He locked me up. He is the reason I'll die down here.

Thinking of Tyson, broke my heart, and I touched my stomach, so I addressed Kael to distract myself.

''Good morning,'' I rubbed my eyes and looked around the dimly lit area, ''Is it morning?''

''Eleven am. You slept for a long time.'' He answered and passed me some water in a dirty brown plastic bottle with the top cut off.

''Thank you.''

I looked down at the slightly yellowish water, held my breath and took a big sip, my throat stung and the water, while disgusting, helped soothe it.

''How do you know the time?''

''I have a sundial,'' He pointed to a small stream of light where a small stone sundial was placed.

''You know, you never told me what you did to get thrown in here.''

''I was accused of killing the King.''

''Keres is dead?'' Kael asked with interest.

''Poisoned,'' I answered, and passed the water back, ''I refused to help him when he got sick, and then when he died from what looked like poison, I was accused of killing him by his sons, because it was poison I'd made. I was told I was to locked in the tower, and I was were for a while, but then last night, some guards dragged me here.''

''I see,'' He nodded, and finished off the water.

''This is probably a stupid question, as you're still here, but is there a way out?''

''Your fight, that is a stupid question,'' He said bluntly. ''There's only one way in or out, the opening. Not even the dead get out.''

''Has anyone tried digging through the ground or walls, and making a tunnel to escape?''

''Come with me,'' He said, as he stood up.

''Where are we going?'' I asked, as I scrambled to my feet.

''Just come,''

I watched as he lit a torch in his fire, and he led me through a small opening that led to several tunnels. We followed on down to the right, and came to a concrete wall.

''What is this?''

''My first attempt to get out,'' He told me, as he turned and walked back the way we came, ''Took me an entire year to reach that far, and I was blocked by the wall.''

He took me down another tunnel, only to stop at another concrete wall. There were eleven tunnels in total. Ten led to a concrete wall, but the eleventh one was just started.

''There doesn't seem to be a way out,'' He told me in the eleventh tunnel. ''I think we're surrounded by concrete walls.''

''So go back to the first tunnel, and keep digging down, until you reach the bottom and then dig under it, and back up.'' I suggested.

''Tried that once a few years back, and it caused a cave in.''

I frowned in frustration, ''So dig up, and go over. We could zigzag the tunnel so we have steps to walk on.''

''We?''

''What else have I got to do but dig?'' I told him, ''I'm not going to die in here. I will get my son out.''

''Fine. We'll dig up.''

We walked back out, and I looked around the large cave area Kael had claimed as his territory and went over to another opening, where his blood symbol was placed.

''Do you know how many other innocent Lycan's are in here?''

''No clue,'' He shrugged, ''Maybe a third. But if you're planning on saving them all, then forget it. No one stays innocent in here for long.''

''We've all done things we're not proud of, it doesn't mean they deserve being in here.''

Kael laughed and shook his head, ''Goddess, you sound like your father. He was always a dreamer and saw the best in everyone.'' He told me, ''But none of those people he thought were worth saving were rapists of murders.''

''Not all of them are rapists or murders.'' I told him ''At least, I hope they're not. And they deserve to escape too.''

''Speaking of which. How did you all get out that day?'' Kael asked. ''Where did you go? I know Keres looked for you, but he obviously didn't find you.''

''Oh.'' I sat down and relayed my tale.

FLASH BACK

The air was so thick with smoke and the smell of burning metals that I could barely breathe as we ran through the dark streets of the city. The sun, a faint glow behind the dark smoke flowing into the sky shielded us from the light,

My heart raced as screams echoed through the streets. It felt unreal, like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. My mother grabbed me from my bed, and held my hand so tightly that my hand turned white, her grip fierce and desperate.

''Mommy, I'm scared!'' I cried as she ran us through the fighting pack members.

"Run, Lyra!" She shouted, her voice breaking. I didn’t need to be told twice, and tried to keep up, but mostly, she dragged me through the streets as my small legs couldn't keep up with her pace.

''Mommy, where's daddy and Braden?!''

My mother's words broke me, ''They're dead!''

We dashed through the chaos, weaving past fallen debris, dead bodies and terrified faces of those fighting. I could hear the shouting of the King's men, their orders sharp and cold. They wanted to kill us. They wanted to kill everyone. Fear wrapped around me like a heavy blanket, stifling my breath.

''Mommy, why are they hurting us?'' I asked, as she pulled me behind a large barrel of beer by the tavern. My mother crouched beside me, her face pale, as she just placed her hand over my mouth, and we waited for the king's guards to pass us.

''Stop asking questions, and keep up!'' She shouted, and we started running again.

I glanced back, seeing the flames rising up the buildings, consuming everything in their path. A man stumbled, his clothes on fire, and I turned away, unable to watch. I knew him. He was a teacher at the school. He was a good man who gave me candies when I visited my big brother, a brother I would never see again.

My mother pulled me forward, her eyes wide with terror. ''Keep moving, Lyra!'' She urged. I nodded, but my legs felt heavy. Each step was a battle against the weight of despair.

We turned a corner, and we saw a group of men with their weapons drawn. I froze, panic flooding my veins. My mother tugged at my arm, and we ran the other way.

''Mommy, I run anymore!''

''We can’t stop! We can’t let them catch you!'' Her voice was calm, but I could hear the fear beneath it. We ducked into an alley where one of the hidden doors led to the catacombs.

My mother ripped open the hidden panel, and she shoved me inside, before pulling the door shut. ''GO!'' She shouted, when I hesitated. I hadn't shifted yet and couldn't see in the dark.

My mother grabbed my arm once more, and she started pulling me along the corridor to the staircase. The sounds of chaos continued overhead, a haunting reminder of the danger we faced.

As we made our way through the catacombs, running as fast as we could. I felt sick with exhaustion, but my mother wouldn't let us stop to rest. Finally, we came to a small opening and my mother shoved me through it.

I blinked several times as we came out into a small clearing in the woods, and once my mother joined me, we began running again until I had no air left in my lungs. We started climbing up the nearest mountain that was on the border of our land, and the Dragon's territory, but my mother paused when we were at the top, her face filled with pain.

We stood on the cliff, and saw the full extent of the destruction. Homes burning, families torn apart, dead bodies, pack members still fighting, still screaming in pain, some running from the city in the opposite direction my mother had taken us, and hopefully to freedom. It felt wrong. We should be helping. I was only ten, and I knew we should be there fighting with them, but I was safe. Why did I deserve to be saved while others were dying?

The King's men were merciless. They didn’t care about anyone. They just continued to send wave after wave of troops into the city to wipe us out. What had we done to deserve this? Why did my brother and daddy deserve to die? He was one of the Temple's Priests. He was a man of peace who loved and worshiped our Goddess.

The flames flickered in the distance, a reminder of what we were leaving behind. My mother turned to me, her eyes filled with determination. ''We can go. We’ll find a place where we can be safe.'' I wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe that hope still existed.

Together, we continued down the other side of the mountain. The road ahead was uncertain, but my mother’s hand in mine gave me strength. I knew we would face challenges, but I also knew we were alive. As long as I had her, I be okay, and could find a way forward. The city might have burned, my pack gone, but our spirit remained unbroken.

We walked all day, ignoring the confused glances of Dragons as we wandered through their land. What confused me was that my mother was headed towards the Kings territory. Why was she taking us to the very man who'd attacked us? It made no sense to me.

I was beyond exhausted, we hadn't stopped once, and my feet felt like they were bleeding and covered in blisters, and my stomach was grumbling. I'd been very spoiled. I'd never gone without anything, least of all food.

It was long after sunset when we found a small cabin in the woods. It was nestled among the trees, its garden overgrown but sturdy, and vines from it crept up the cabin, cover the walls and roof.

My mother walked beside me, still holding my hand tightly as she stopped at the door. She hesitated before knocking. There was no sound from inside, most likely due to the privacy spell everyone placed on their homes.

The door creaked open, revealing an older mans silhouette. For a fleeting moment, his face showed surprise, then quickly shifted to irritation. "What do you want?" He barked, his deep voice cutting through the air. I felt my mother stiffen beside me as she searched for words, but none came.

''Mommy who is he?'' I asked curiously, in confusion. She'd never mentioned some old man who lived in a cabin in the woods.

''Mommy?'' The man said in shock, as he looked down at me. ''She's yours?''

My mother took a breath, ''Dad, I need your help.''

Dad? Was this my mommy's dad?

''Why don't you go get help from the bastard you ran off with.''

''He's dead,'' My mother said, her voice cracking in agony, and causing my heart to hurt.

I would never see my daddy again. I'd never see my brother again. Would this pain go away?

''Dead? Dead how?''

''Alpha Keres attacked,'' My mom answered, her voice trembling as she gripped my arm, ''He was after Lyra.''

''Lyra?'' My grandfather asked, ''You named her after your mother?''

''Dad, can we please come in.'' Mom asked, sounding frustrated now, as thunder sounded behind us.

I looked over my shoulder and saw thick gray clouds. Maybe the Goddess had sent a storm to put out the fires still raging in our city.

The man looked at my mother, and then me, before giving a dramatic sigh. ''Come in them.'' He pushed the door open and stepped back, limping a little as he moved, ''Wipe you feet, you're both filthy.''

''You'd be filthy too if you just ran through the catacombs and forest for hours.'' My mother commented as we walked inside.

I looked around as my mother pulled off my shoes.

Dust motes danced in the single sunbeam of light slicing through the gloom. There was a fire crackling merrily in a stone hearth with a roast rabbit cooking in the flames. The fire was a comforting sound, yet it couldn't quite chase away the chill that settled deep in my bones. The wooden furniture, was placed around the small living room, all worn and polished smooth by years of use.

An archway led to a stone and wooden kitchen, and another archway led to a hallway with three other doors.

The cabin felt small. Claustrophobic, almost. Nothing like the huge manor I'd been growing up in. Each piece of furniture, each faded photograph, each chipped teacup whispered stories of my mother's youth. Stories I couldn't decipher. Why hadn't my mom ever talked about this? About him? About this place? She'd told me her parents were dead. Why did she lie?

''Well Lyra?'' My grandfather asked, as he went into the kitchen and started preparing tea, ''Are you hungry?''

''Yes.''

''Yes, sir.'' He snapped at me, firmly.

''Yes, sir,'' I corrected.

''Go sit by the fire and warm up.'' Mom said as she gently pushed me towards it, ''Let me help.'' She said to her father, who nodded and limped over to me.

''What happened to your leg?'' I asked.

''Lyra!''

''Enough Elsie,'' Her father scolded her, ''The girl's got a mind of her own. She can ask questions.'' He told her, before pulling up the bottom of his pants to reveal a wooden leg, ''I got this bad boy during the war. A wolf ate it up.''

My eyes widened as I looked at it, ''It really ate your leg?''

''Okay dad, that's enough,'' My mom shook her head, ''We've been through enough today. We don't need your war stories.''

''Ah, have it your way,'' He waved his hand, ''Lyra, pass grandpa those cooking prongs.''

''Yes, sir.'' I said, and quickly passed them over to him, and he started fussing with the rabbit.

''Do you eat rabbit?'' He asked me.

''No, sir.'' I shook my head, ''I've never tried it.''

''Of course not, that rich father of yours probably had you eating gold,'' He scoffed, as my mother came in and placed a tray between us, before sitting next to the coffee table.

My mother's hands shook at the mention of my father, and she started crying.

''Mommy,'' I quickly hugged her, and she cried harder. ''Don't cry.''

''Leave her be, she just needs to get it out.'' My grandpa told her, but he just looked at the fire.

''I can't do this.'' She wept, ''I can't live without him.''

''Of course you can,'' My grandpa said dismissively, ''I've lived without my mate after her death, now, haven't I? Well, so can you, and you have a little girl to raise, so you have no choice but to go on.''

My mother sniffed, and leaned back. She wiped her face on her sleeve, as she looked at me, before giving me a kiss on the head.

''Here, have some tea,'' She ordered, and started pouring it, but I could still see it in her face, just how broken she was, and I made a vow to never have a mate. I never wanted to be this sad.

We all drank our tea and ate some food in silence. I wanted to ask questions. I wanted to know why the Alpha had hurt us. I wanted to know why my mother had lied about her parents. I wanted to know what happened now. But I kept my questions to myself.

As the day dragged on, and night fell. My mother took me into the hallway and filled up the tub for me to have a warm bath. While I was playing with the soap, creating bubbles, I heard my mother and her dad arguing. Their voices were only just above a whisper, so I couldn't make out what they were saying, but they both sounded furious.

More questions filled my tired mind. Why were they fighting?

A few minutes later, my mom came back and helped me dress in an over-sized white shirt, and I noticed that my mother's face was red, and her eyes filled with tears again.

''Please don't be sad mommy,'' I begged her, as she looked into my eyes, ''I will always love you.''

''I love you too, baby,'' She smiled and hugged me.

We shared a bed in a spare room that night, and in the middle of the night, I heard my mother crying again, so I turned over and hugged her, hoping my little arms would soothe her, but nothing helped, so I just let her cry herself dry and she passed out again.



END OF FLASH BACK