18. Lyra
18
LYRA
T he sound of a crash followed by a terrified scream sends me sprinting from the kitchen. My heart pounds as I race through the manor's halls, herbal tea splashing from the cup I'd been preparing for Mira's afternoon treatment.
I round the corner to find them at the bottom of the grand staircase. Kai's lanky body curls protectively around his sister, his black fur matted with sweat. One arm juts out at an unnatural angle beneath him. Mira's silver-white fur trembles against his chest, her tiny form completely engulfed by her brother's protective embrace.
"Don't move!" I drop beside them, hands hovering as I assess the damage. "What happened?"
"I wanted to help her exercise." Kai's voice breaks, blue eyes wide with panic. "Like you do with her. But I-I tried to carry her down like Father does and—" His words cut off in a pained gasp.
"It's my fault." Mira's amber eyes fill with tears. "I asked him to pick me up. I wanted to be tall like everyone else."
"Shh, neither of you are at fault." I gently begin separating them, noting how Kai winces but refuses to release his sister until I've checked her over first. "Mira, can you wiggle your toes for me? Any pain?"
She demonstrates perfect movement, though her breaths come quick and shallow. The fall clearly scared her more than it hurt her.
Kai's broken arm becomes fully visible as I help Mira stand. The sight makes my stomach clench - a clean break through both forearm bones. Yet he'd somehow managed to twist mid-fall to take the brunt of the impact, protecting his sister despite his own injury.
"I'm sorry." His serious little face crumples. "I just wanted to help like you do. To make you proud."
"Oh, sweetheart." I brush his dark hair back from his forehead. "I'm already proud of how you look after your sister. But next time, let's stick to the exercises I've shown you, okay?"
The manor's massive front door crashes open just as I'm finishing my preliminary examination of Kai's arm.
"What happened?" Theron's heavy footsteps thunder across the marble floor. His imposing frame fills the entryway, amber eyes wild as they lock onto his children at the bottom of the grand staircase.
Then he freezes. His massive shoulders go rigid, muscles tensing beneath his tailored dark jacket. The rings in his horns catch the afternoon light as he stares at the scene before him, chest heaving with rapid breaths.
"Father?" Kai's voice wavers.
The word seems to snap something in Theron. His jaw clenches, nostrils flaring as he takes a halting step forward. Another. Then stops again, his powerful frame trembling.
I recognize the signs of panic taking hold. I can't imagine how many times he's seen Mira collapsed and fear it would be her last. I can't fathom the terror that grips him - even now, probably worse after the hope he'd never come home to something like this again.
But they will both be alright. I just need him to see that, to distract him from that fear.
"Theron." I keep my voice steady, pitched low like I use to calm spooked animals. "I need you to come hold Kai still while I set his arm. Can you do that for me?"
His amber eyes lock onto mine, desperate for direction.
"Just here." I pat the spot beside me. "Kneel down and brace his shoulders."
The familiar task of protecting his child breaks through his paralysis. He moves with sudden purpose, dropping to his knees beside us. His large hands engulf Kai's slim shoulders, steadying him.
"Like this?"
"Perfect." I nod, maintaining eye contact. "Now keep him still. This will hurt, but it needs to be done quickly."
Theron leans forward, creating a protective wall around his son with his broad chest. His usual gruff demeanor softens as he presses his forehead against Kai's temple.
"You're being so brave," he rumbles. "I'm proud of you."
I don't hesitate. With practiced movements, I realign the broken bones, my small hands working surely despite the size difference. Kai lets out a sharp cry, but Theron's steady presence keeps him from jerking away.
"Almost done," I murmur, reaching for the splinting materials I'd sent Mira to fetch from my bag. "You're both doing wonderfully."
After securing the splint on Kai's arm, I guide everyone to the sitting room where the afternoon light streams through tall windows. The familiar space with its worn leather chairs and shelves of trading ledgers feels more welcoming than the formal parlor.
"Here, drink this." I press a cup of tea into Kai's hands. "Small sips."
Theron paces behind his son's chair, his massive frame casting shifting shadows across the carpet. His rings catch the light with each turn, marking his agitation.
"Father?" Mira's tiny voice breaks through his brooding. She sits curled in her favorite spot by the hearth, silver-white fur gleaming. "Are you angry with us?"
His pacing stops. Something vulnerable flickers across his face as he kneels beside her chair.
"No, little one." His usual gruff tone softens. "That staircase... I had my own fall there, when I was about Kai's age."
Both children lean forward, even Kai momentarily distracted from his pain.
"You fell too?" Kai's blue eyes widen.
"Mm." Theron settles onto the floor, legs crossed. The position makes him seem less imposing despite his size. "Was trying to slide down the banister to impress a girl. Broke both horns clean off."
"But your horns are so big now!" Mira reaches toward the silver rings adorning them.
"Took years to grow back proper." His large hand engulfs hers. "My father was furious. But my mother..." He swallows hard. "She sat up with me all night, singing old songs until the pain eased."
The longing in his voice makes my chest ache. I hate to think of times when he was in pain, when he needed someone. But at least his mother was there.
"Like Lyra does for us?" Mira asks.
Theron's amber eyes meet mine across the room. Something unspoken passes between us.
"Yes," he says softly. "Just like that."
Not too long after, we get the kids into bed for the night. I know that Kai needs the rest. But it takes him some time to go to sleep and I find myself checking on him constantly.
The evening shadows stretch long across the hallway as I finish checking Kai's splint one last time. His breathing has finally evened out, the tea doing its work. Even in sleep, his good arm curls protectively around Mira, who insisted on staying with her brother.
I close their door with a soft click, turning to find Theron leaning against the wall. His massive frame seems smaller somehow, shoulders slumped with exhaustion. The silver rings in his horns catch the dim lamplight as he scrubs a hand over his face.
"You're good with them." His voice rumbles low, mindful of the sleeping children.
"They make it easy." I step closer, drawn by the vulnerability in his amber eyes. "You did well today too, you know. Breaking through that panic to help Kai."
His jaw tightens. "I froze. Saw them at the bottom of those stairs and all I could think was—" He cuts off, massive chest heaving.
Without thinking, I reach up to touch his cheek. His black fur is softer than I expected, warm beneath my fingers. He goes completely still at the contact, but doesn't pull away.
"You protected them," I whisper. "That's what matters."
His large hand engulfs mine, keeping it pressed to his face. The size difference between us should be intimidating - my head barely reaches his chest - but I've never felt safer than in this moment.
"You protect them too," he murmurs.
I'm not sure who moves first. One moment we're standing apart, the next his lips find mine with impossible gentleness. His free hand cups the back of my head, careful of his claws as they tangle in my copper braids. I rise on tiptoes, steadying myself against his broad chest as he bends to meet me.
The kiss is sweet, tender in a way that belies his imposing presence. A soft sound escapes him when I press closer, his fingers tightening in my hair.
A discrete cough breaks the moment. We spring apart to find Mrs. Bramble standing at the end of the hall, her expression carefully neutral despite the knowing glint in her eyes.
"Don't mind me," she says softly, though I swear I catch the hint of a smile as she turns away. "I was just coming to see if the children needed more tea. But I guess not!"
I fight back a giggle and Theron meets my eyes, chuckling. I feel like a child who has been caught, but it is a little funny.
"I'm going to check on them one more time," I say, and he nods, following me in.
Theron immediately goes to Kai's side, adjusting his arm. His movements are precise, gentle despite his size. The silver rings in his horns catch the lamplight as he smooths Kai's dark hair back, checking for fever.
Without speaking, I move to Mira's side. Her silver-white fur gleams in the dim light as I count her breaths, timing them against her pulse. The routine is familiar now, but something has shifted. Each time I glance up, I catch Theron watching me with those intense amber eyes.
We orbit each other like twin moons, our paths crossing and weaving as we tend to the children. When I reach for more pillows to elevate Kai's arm, Theron is already there, passing them to me. As he adjusts Mira's blankets, I'm ready with her favorite stuffed toy.
The silence between us holds no awkwardness, only understanding. Each shared look carries the weight of that kiss, of boundaries crossed and new possibilities blooming.
Standing in the doorway, I watch him make one final check of both beds. His broad shoulders block most of the view, but I can see how his large hands move with such care, how his usual gruff demeanor melts away when he thinks no one's watching.
He turns, amber eyes finding mine in the darkness. The space between us feels charged, electric with unspoken words. My copper braids brush his arm as he moves to stand beside me, close enough that I can feel the heat radiating from his fur.
Together we watch our sleeping charges - his children who've somehow become mine too, somewhere between healing sessions and bedtime stories. The realization settles in my chest like a warm stone. There's no going back to being just their healer, not when my heart has already claimed them as family.
Theron's hand finds mine in the darkness, engulfing it completely. His thumb traces gentle circles on my palm, and I lean into his solid presence, accepting this new reality we've created.