Chapter Four

Lyra's POV

The airport was louder than I expected, suitcases rattling against the tiled floor, and voices overlapping each other in different languages.

The constant echo of flight announcements buzzed overhead in the headphone.

I stood outside the entrance of the terminal for a moment, adjusting my school bag on my shoulder that contained my grimiore, while holding my small carry on.

One luggage...

One bag....

That was all I need...

Mom always told me to never travel heavy, so I can leave at any anytime and never be at risk, I glanced down at the bank card in my hand, the ones my mother had left me, hidden inside the false bottom of her old jewelry box she had stashed away. I hadn't used them in years. I wasn't even sure if they still worked... But it had, no questions asked, no suspicious glances I had anticipated considering I was still a year away from being a full adult to consider traveling alone.

Just a printed boarding pass sliding across the counter like it's normal. I exhaled slowly and finally stepped onto the terminal.

Every step felt surreal, yesterday, I had been running through fire and today I was crossing continents.

The security check was quick, a bit too quick, no red lights, I half expected alarms blaring, someone stopping me to ask where my guardian was, asking why I was traveling alone, but nothing happened, I passed through like a ghost, undetected.

I found my gate and sat down pulling my luggage close, the chairs were cold beneath my leg, and the air felt a little chilly today. My fingers occasionally playing with the edge of my boarding pass as my thoughts occasionally went back to the postcard.

Transylvania....

Romania....

The words still felt unreal in my mouth, what was my mother doing all the way out in Europe.

I stood up when the boarding announcement for my flight began, joining the slow moving line, I adjusted the grip on my luggage before stepping forward when I collided into someone solid….

“Ah!“ I gasped immediately stumbling backwards as I gripped my suitcase to avoided crashing.

A strong cold white slender hand grabbed my arm immediately to steady me.

“Careful”

The voice was smooth, steady and grounding tone and I looked up to see who.

He was tall, mostly taller than the people around us, and carried himself with quite the grace and command. Long ebony hair fell smoothly around his shoulders, framing a face that looked slightly feminine, an androgynous beauty that's one way to put it, he would have pass for a woman if not for his physical appearance and voice, his eyes were dark, unnervingly dark that could have passed for contact lens, and for a moment I forgot how to breathe.

“I'm sorry” we said at the same time.

He smiled slightly, steadying my luggage before it could fall. “My apologies I wasn't quite looking where I was going”

“No no, I wasn't paying attention too, it's fine” I replied quickly, embarrassed.

He handed me back the suitcase, his fingers brushing mine briefly and a strange shiver brushed through me, not unpleasant just... Unexpected.

“I'm Caspian” he said

“Lyra” I replied automatically, something about his presence made me jittery, like standing too close to a live wire.

His charisma felt off, too smooth, too.... Composed.

I brushed it off immediately, I was exhausted, anyone would feel strange after the last twenty four hours that just happened.

We fell into step together as the line moved forward.

“Same flight?“ he asked.

I glanced at his boarding pass too and nodded, “Seems like it”

“Transylvania” he added, his tone light, “Not a bad destination”

I blinked, “You've been?“

“I live there”

That caught my attention immediately, “You do?“

“Yes” he smiled, “It's a beautiful place, rich food, rich history and culture, a lot more culture than you expect”

A local, something inside me eased, that was... Comforting. I hadn't realized how unprepared I was till now.

“I'm just visiting...“ I said quickly “... A short holiday”

“Then you chose well... “ he replied, “.... There are many sights worth seeing”

For a fleeting second the idea crossed my mind to ask him done questions about the place, maybe even asking for some help once I arrived, I didn’t know anyone and I didn’t know the language. I didn’t even know where to start looking.

But the thought faded just as quickly. I shook my head, he was a stranger and he didn’t owe me anything. And something about him made me feel watched in a way I couldn’t explain I didn't push it.

“That’s uh... Good to know” I said politely instead.

We boarded the plane soon after, parting briefly as we found our assigned seats on the plane. Mine was by the window which suited me find and his was a few rows ahead of me.

As the plane began to move down the runway, the tension I’d been holding onto finally began to loosen and the hum of the engines vibrated through my body, steady and almost smooth.

The moment the plane lifted into the air, I stared out the window, watching the town I had lived in for two and a half years grow smaller and smaller until I could barely see it, I was leaving everything behind,the school, the house, everything.

Eventually exhaustion claimed me and I didn’t even remember falling asleep.

....

The plane finally landing was what jolted me awake, my eyes opening just as the seat belt sign switched on, outside the window the sky was darker, and the land below dotted with distant lights. My body felt heavy but finally relaxed and my mind that was foggy, like I had been in a deep, dreamless sleep was now much more clearer and better.

We had landed smoothly.

As the plane slowed, I scanned the aisle instinctively, looking for a familiar head of dark hair, Caspian’s seat was empty.

Strange....

By the time I stepped into the terminal after leaving the plane, he was nowhere to be found again. There was no sign of him near the baggage claim either. I lingered for a moment, scanning a few passing faces, and wondering if I should’ve asked him about the postcard after all but he was gone now.

Figures...

I went to retrieve my luggage from the baggage claim and proceeded to head outside the airport, the cool night air hitting me immediately as I looked around the beautiful city, with bright street lights, people going to and fro happily, different colorful clothes around being worn, I wonder if this was the kind of thing my mother liked to be here of all the places.

The language on the signs felt foreign, sharp, unfamiliar but at least English wasn't also so uncommon here which was a relief to me the very least, I wondered how I would have began to think of interacting if no one at all could speak English.

I hesitated for a moment, thinking of my next step, I was definitely tired and hungry and felt dirty so I had to find somewhere first. I lifted my hand, flagging down a taxi.

“Hotel” I said, giving the address I’d memorized earlier from the internet.

The drive was quiet.

Streetlights passed in long stretches of shadow and gold colors. Old buildings loomed in the distance, their silhouettes darker than the night sky behind them. Everything felt ancient here, like the past was layered thickly over the present, kinda the time stood on still since the medieval period. It really was a great sight place for sight seeing and vacation for people interested in cultures and myths.

The hotel was modest but clean and I checked in quickly, accepted the key, and made my way upstairs to the room.

The room was small but comfortable, just how I liked it, I dropped my bags by the door and stood still for a moment, listening.

Nothing.

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding and took my luggage straight for the wardrobe, then I dropped my bag in the bed and headed straight for the bathroom, taking off my clothes.

The hot shower was blissful and steam filled the space as I leaned my forehead against the tile, letting the water wash away the exhaustion, the fear, the lingering scent of smoke that still felt trapped in my lungs. My muscles slowly relaxed, tension draining away bit by bit as I began to think of the enxt plan in mind when my stomach growled,and I hadn't eaten anything since the plane took off.

I switched off the shower and when I stepped out wrapped in a towel, I felt more human than I had in days.

I dressed simply, wearing a purple sleeveless V neck A line dress, brushing my hair down for some minutes then sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, grounding myself. I was really here, already across the world. Chasing answers I wasn’t sure I was ready to face.

My stomach growled again and hunger eventually pulled me downstairs to find something to possibly fill my stomach with,

The hotel restaurant was quiet, warm, and filled with the low murmur of conversation and the clink of cutlery. I ordered something simple and glanced around, taking it all in while waiting for my food to arrive, I took in the people and the culture, different languages both ones I recognize and not resounding in my ear.

The waiter brought over my order which was a traditional specialty, called the “Cluj-style cabbage"

I picked up my cutlery and started eating, and it was delicious.

For the first time since everything began, I allowed myself to breathe, just relax and enjoy the meal of what I ordered, I glanced outside the building, looks like there was a food festival going on.

I ordered a second plate to make sure I get filled since I was extremely famished.

After the meal and paying my bills, I left the restaurant and headed outside, they were a lot of different varieties of food and a lot more, people having fun and the entire place was bustling lively as if it wasn't even dark.

It was completely different from what I expected I guess, I took a seat one place not wanting to seem so out of place in the brightly colored place. There were different dishes placed in front of me but I was quite full from earlier, although everyone was having some so I settled on picking a plate of Vargabeles and ate the sugary pastries.

Just as I was thinking on how to start searching for clues, I felt I was being watched again, my eyes landed on a pawn shop across the streets, it looked kinda weird but something about it drew me closer so I entered, the bell rang as I opened the door and got in regardless, that when my eyes were drawn to the different witch objects, especially the scrying pan that was giving off an eerily glow, I stepped closer and touched it, electricity zapped through me for a second before it resonated with the magic inside my body.

“A witch huh?“

I turned around, eyes wide when I heard someone say that, was I outed?!