21. Lyra
Chapter 21
Lyra
“Have you thought about when you want to have the wedding yet? You need to set a date,” Flora says from her padded chair in the backyard.
“She can take all the time she needs. Don’t rush her,” Colton chimes in from behind me, shooting Flora a pointed look. I lean back against him, stretching my legs out in the sun. We had planned to leave for the Lamia Realm this morning, but Flora’s unexpected visit prompted us to enjoy the day outside and leave tonight instead.
“It’s okay. I don’t need more time. I honestly don’t know when to have it,” I tell her, and Colton wraps an arm around me, idly tracing circles on my stomach.
“Well, have you thought about anything specific you want for the ceremony? Have you made any decisions at all since I last saw you? It’s a good thing I took you dress shopping when I did, or you would probably have worn something out of your closet,” Flora teases, and I laugh at her dramatic tone.
“You went dress shopping?” Colton asks. We’ve both been so busy lately that I forgot to tell him .
“Yes, Seraphina is designing a dress for me. I picked out some fabric and let her take my measurements. I haven’t seen the dress yet though,” I explain. Colton hums in response, and I place my hand over his, giving it a gentle squeeze, hoping he understands that my lack of involvement in the planning doesn’t mean I’m not excited.
“And I have decided a few things about the ceremony,” I add to Flora, who props herself up on her elbows, eager for me to continue. “I want the ceremony to be small, and I think having it on the coast at Colton’s family home you told me about would be perfect.”
I pause, and when neither of them protests, I continue, “I know your mom wants to invite all her friends and make it a big event, but I want the ceremony to be intimate, close friends and family. If Elspeth wants, she can throw a reception afterward and invite whoever she wants.”
“It’s our day, not my mother’s. You can do whatever you want, and I will tell her to stay out of it completely if that makes you happy,” Colton says, his voice firm. His support brings a smile to my lips.
“Well, it’s settled then. Elspeth can throw an after-party, and I get to plan the ceremony for you,” Flora squeals with excitement.
“That would be amazing. Are you sure you have the time?” I ask, surprised yet relieved that she wants to take on the planning.
“Are you kidding? I love planning parties. I’m going to make it the most beautiful intimate ceremony ever,” she assures me, and I trust her completely.
I lean my head back to look up at Colton. “Are you okay with this?” I ask.
“I’m okay with anything as long as I have you,” he replies, leaning down to kiss me. I melt into him, feeling completely content.
Flora clears her throat, and I break away from our kiss, giggling. “Now, about the date,” she prompts.
“What do you guys think?” I ask, unsure of how long these things take or what’s a good date to get married.
“How about we do it on your birthday, October 19th? It will be extra special, and that still gives me enough time to get everything in order,” Flora suggests.
I mull the idea over. My birthday—I’ve never really done anything special for it, no big celebrations or anything. I’ve always looked forward to my nineteenth birthday, anticipating it as the day my sorcerer powers would awaken. Now, with all my powers already active, I like the idea of looking forward to it for a different reason. It could be the day I complete the bonding ceremony with the man I love. My wedding day.
“I love the idea. Yes, let’s have the ceremony on October 19th,” I say. Flora emits an excited squeal that makes both Colton and me laugh.
Being back in the Lamia hive, I already miss the sunshine. I’m glad Flora visited today. We spent a few precious hours hanging out and talking about wedding plans instead of the usual topics like impending wars, attacks, and prophecies that have been plaguing my mind these days.
“Now that we’re here, are you going to tell me what plans you have?” Colton asks, standing by the closet unpacking our small bag of belongings.
“I don’t have a plan, exactly. I want to have a look around the Sorcerer Realm in disguise,” I reply.
“Disguise?” He turns to me, a smile spreading across his face.
“Well, yeah. With those flyers out, it feels like everyone is looking for me, and the gods know what else has transpired since we left Cloudrum. I can’t go out there looking like this,” I say, making exaggerated motions over my body. Colton chuckles while tossing a cloak at me from the closet.
“This should be more than sufficient,” he says, and I tie my hair back for extra precaution. Slipping on the black cloak, I pull the hood up to cover most of my hair. “Let’s leave Chepi here. He’s tired,” I suggest, watching Chepi burrow into the covers on the bed, making a cozy nook for himself.
“As you wish,” Colton replies, stepping close to me. Instead of a cloak, he opts for a black jacket. He places his hands on my hips and looks down at me with a hunger that prompts me to chew my lip anxiously.
“Let’s go. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get back,” I say, pressing my hand against his chest and channeling us to outside Alchem Hollow, the village I’m most familiar with now in the Sorcerer Realm.
The village is bustling as usual, with the sound of frogs croaking from the nearby creek and children playing in the distance. Dusk settles over us, and the colorful lanterns strung overhead begin to glow softly against the evening sky. I inhale deeply, savoring the warm air mixed with the scents of fresh water, burning fires, and herbs.
“You always smile when you come here. You say this place isn’t your home, but look at you—so fucking beautiful and happy the moment our feet touch the ground,” Colton observes, his voice warm.
“I’m not smiling because this feels like home,” I tell him, my smile growing even brighter. “I’m smiling because I love the crisp scent of the fire and the softness of the summer breeze. The sound of the frogs mingling with the laughter of children—it feels joyful, like what home should feel like.”
Without warning, he kisses me, backing me up until I’m pressed against the side of one of the shops. His hands roam beneath my large cloak, seeking me out. When he finds my waist, he tugs my top up enough to caress my skin, and I revel in how we can never keep our hands off each other. I wrap my arms around his neck and stand on my tiptoes, yearning to be closer to him. We lose ourselves in the kiss, and I absolutely love it.
As I’m ready to suggest we head back to our room and explore the village tomorrow, my breath catches. Colton feels my body stiffen and breaks the kiss to search my face.
I can’t quite explain it, but I sense something evil, a presence that is not of this world pressing down on my chest. The sudden silence when the playful laughter of children and the croaking of frogs once filled the air confirms my fears.
I don’t need to voice any of this to Colton, who sees the alarm in my face and feels it in his own keen awareness.
“Fuck,” he can barely mutter before he whirls around to fend off a creature that lunges at us from the shadows. He presses me back against the building, shielding me with his body as if I were made of glass instead of the formidable dark sorceress that I am. I try to peer around him, desperate to see if it’s another Sarrol attack, but he keeps me fully blocked from the action.
Colton’s movements are a blur, his arms swinging with trained precision as he confronts the dark silhouette darting toward us. When did he pack a dagger? I hadn’t noticed until now. Frustrated by his attempts to shield me, I push against his hold, desperate to see and understand what we’re up against .
“Sarrol? Tell me what it is!” I demand, my voice low but firm.
“It’s not a Sarrol,” he shouts back, his voice strained over the clash of his movements against the creature’s advances. His eyes flick back to mine, wide with alarm. “I have no idea what this thing is!”
As he swings again, I slip under his arm as the creature lunges. Its form becomes clearer in the dim lantern light, and what I see horrifies me. It’s not a Sarrol or a Monstrauth; it’s something else entirely, something that might once have been human. Its skin is a wet and pale gray, stretched tight over its emaciated frame with no distinct features until you reach its head. Gods, its head—it has no eyes, no nose, only a giant mouth full of razor-sharp teeth and a black pointed tongue.
The creature hisses, its enormous mouth snapping at Colton’s arm. He reacts quickly, plunging his dagger into its chest. Inky black blood seeps out, pooling on the ground. I swallow hard, staring down at the creature.
“What the fuck?” I murmur under my breath, a sentiment echoed by Colton as he stands beside me.
A pit of worry starts to fester in my chest as I slowly turn toward where the children had been playing on the edge of the forest. Silence descends, punctuated only by the heavy beat of my heart thudding in my ears. My breathing stops as I spot two small bodies on the ground in the distance. Without looking at Colton, I channel instantly to their side, and the moment my knees hit the ground, I have to clamp a hand over my mouth to stifle the scream rising in my throat.
How did this happen? These kids were only playing mere feet from the back of one of the shops—a place that should have been safe.
I start to shake my head, tears welling in my eyes, as the gravity of the scene overwhelms me. Then Colton’s hand is on my back, as he kneels next to me.
“Why?” I manage to whisper, my voice breaking.
He curses softly under his breath.
“I never even heard them scream,” he says, and he’s right—one minute I heard their laughter in the distance, and the next only silence. What was that thing, and how did it strike so swiftly and undetected?
“Neither did I,” I reply
A man’s voice, panicked and urgent, calls out from behind us, “What happened?” He races toward the children, dropping to the ground and frantically shaking one of them, screaming his name in a desperate bid to wake him. My heart shatters at the sight.
A crowd begins to gather around us, and I step back as another couple collapses near the other child’s lifeless body. Colton places his arm on the small of my back and leans in close. “Maybe we should go,” he whispers, but it’s too late. In the commotion, my hood has slipped off, and whispers are already swirling through the crowd.
“What have you done?” a woman on the ground exclaims, pointing directly at me. Oh gods.
I freeze, shaking my head frantically. “This wasn’t us. This was...” I glance toward where the creature was moments ago, only to find it gone.
“It’s the dark sorceress,” another voice shouts, and panic begins to set in.
“It’s the dark princess, the one with shadows,” someone else adds, and Colton’s grip tightens around me.
I sense Colton’s essence gathering, ready to channel us away, but I push away from him before he can act. “I didn’t do this. I would never hurt a child,” I plead, my voice rising over the murmurs of the crowd. “You have nothing to fear from me. I’m on your side. This was a monster.” I’m desperately trying to convince my people that I am not the enemy that Samael and Kaine have painted me to be.
“You’re the only monster here!” a man in the crowd yells back, his voice filled with conviction and anger.
“The king put a price on her head. Capture her!” another man shouts, and panic surges through the crowd like a wave.
Before I can attempt to calm the situation or defend myself further, the crowd surges forward. The air is thick with fear and accusation, and in moments they are upon us.
“Don’t harm anyone!” I yell to Colton over the roar of the crowd, but he’s nowhere in sight. I’m encircled, the air crackling with charged magic. “Please, listen to me!”
That’s when the first strike hits me—a bolt of magic slams into my back. I hunch over, absorbing the blow, striving to maintain composure. Spells are hurled at me from multiple directions, and a woman swings a branch at my head. I dodge the branch, but another spell strikes me. Panic rises. I should channel out, but I can’t spot Colton, and I’m surprised by how quickly the situation has spiraled out of control.
Suddenly, someone yanks my hair from behind, jerking my head back painfully. I cry out as the dark magic I’ve been holding back unleashes itself.
In an instant, darkness explodes from me, not seeping out slowly but bursting forth violently. My shadows swallow the entire crowd. Everyone freezes. I straighten up, and as the darkness recedes, I see my shadowy tendrils have shot out into dozens of branches, sealing every mouth except Colton’s, who I hear chuckling somewhere in the distance.
I clear my throat and stand a bit taller, my voice firm and resolute.
“People of Cloudrum, look at me and see your future queen, not as a figure of dark tales, but as one of your own. Yes, I possess powers that many fear—powers that could, if I wished, bring devastation upon those who stand against me. But look around you—none are harmed because I choose peace over violence, healing over hurt.
“I could unleash destruction, yet here I stand, imploring you to see the truth. I am not your enemy. The very magic that courses through me, the shadows that respond to my call, are the same forces I harness to protect, not to persecute. Samael has painted me as a monster, a creature to be feared and hunted. Ask yourselves why.”
I gradually draw my shadows back into myself. The crowd remains silent, attentively following each word. It seems I have captured their attention. Now I need to earn their respect.
But as I begin to sense a shift, I’m abruptly interrupted by a man in the crowd who yells, “You are a monster!”
A woman shouts, “We know what courses through your blood.” Chaos erupts anew, the brief silence shattered by screams and accusations.
Before I can react and lose control of my temper, Colton is by my side. This time, when he wraps an arm around me, I don’t protest. I let him channel us back to the safety of the hive. Even after we arrive in our bedroom, the harsh voices continue to echo in my mind, the faces twisted in hate and fear haunting me...and the lifeless bodies of those two children, their laughter a ghostly memory in the chilling silence.
“Lyra, you can’t let them get to you—” Colton begins, but I cut him off before he can continue, the urgency in my voice cutting through the air.
“No, you don’t understand. They are getting to me. All of this—everything—is getting to me.” I feel my eyes well with tears, but I swallow hard, reining in my emotions.
“Come here.” He reaches for me, and every fiber of my being yearns to go to him, to let him hold me and reassure me that everything will be okay. But I can’t.
“Colton, you can’t save me from this. You can’t protect me from everything. I need to figure things out for myself. I’m going back to Zomea, and I’m going back now.” I throw my cloak on the bed and grab a sweater from the closet, pulling it over my head.
“It’s late. Come to bed, and we can talk about this in the morning. Don’t act rashly while emotions are heightened,” he tries to soothe me, but he doesn’t understand.
“I’m not acting rashly. I need to do this. I always planned on going to Zomea alone. I know what I need to do, and I’m going to be alright,” I say firmly. He takes a step closer, his eyes pleading, ready to follow me, but I shake my head. “Please, don’t follow me. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“How long are you planning on staying there?” he asks, sounding worried for the first time.
“As long as it takes to find the answers I need,” I respond, picking up a sleeping Chepi and cradling him in my arms. “Stay here or go back to Nighthold. I’ll find you when I return.”
“I thought you wanted to talk to Drew first,” he reminds me. True, I had intended to, but after what happened, I feel like I’m running out of time. I need answers before things escalate further.
“I’ll talk to her when I return.”
I stand up on my tiptoes and kiss him, and as he wraps his arms around me, pulling me in for a deeper kiss, I surrender to the moment. I let myself savor the taste of him, lingering in the embrace. When he finally releases me, I see the acceptance in his eyes—he’s letting me go.
“I love you,” I say, meeting his gaze.
“I love you too. Hurry home to me so I can marry you,” he responds, effortlessly drawing a smile from me. He always knows just what to say.
With one last glance, I channel to the bridge, departing without another word. His smile and the sweet taste of our last kiss linger with me as I make my way to Zomea.