Lyra’s POVFreya had been taken out of the castle at the crack of dawn. A certain sadness weighed heavily over me, and I couldn't understand it. I had lay still in bed since, unable to close my eyes for fear of what might befall me.Then came the knock at the door. I hesitated to respond, and then it slipped under the door.“For Miss Lyra," a guard's voice called rather ceremoniously.I peeled myself off my bed and went to pick the letter up.It had the seal of the High Council pressed firm and dry like it had been waiting all night. My heart pounded uneasily in my chest, causing me pain. My hands trembled as I tried to imagine the contents of the letter.Why the council? I washed my face. I braided my hair. I put on a clean garment, and waited till the guard returned for me. The walk was silent; I was so consumed in my own thoughts that I barely saw the hallway as we went.The council chamber was colder than usual. The curtains were drawn back, letting too much light in. I stepped
Lyra’s POVAlpha Kieran had asked me to pick up new sheets and some of his shirts from the linen wing. I was reaching for a sheet when I heard soft footsteps behind me.I didn't want to turn; my imagination had begun to paint pictures of Suzanne trying to sneak up on me to harm me. "Looking for something soft to hide in?" Anya’s voice cut through the silence like a blade.I turned slowly, clutching the folded linen tighter than necessary. Her smile was gentle but didn’t reach her eyes.“What do you want, Anya?”She leaned against the stacked shelf beside me, trying to maintain a very casual posture. Probably to let the guards and other Omegas think we were just having a random discussion related to our duties. “She’s alive,” she said without moving her lips too far apart. It took a second for her words to make sense.“Saana?”She nodded.“In the dungeons.”My heart thudded once—loud, uneven. I exhaled, trying to process what she had just dumped on me.“You’re lying,” I pushed.“I r
Lyra’s POVThe palace had a way of swallowing sound when it wanted to. Even on a night like this, there was still that hush—a strange quiet that sat beneath everything, like breath held too long.I stood near the eastern passageway, watching groups of court women glide past in layers of silk, their movement marked by exaggerated obedience. Laughter tinkled like broken bells. The banquet hall had been transformed into a fantasy—golden edges, handpicked roses, the scent of slow-roasted meats lingering just beneath the incense smoke.It should have felt celebratory. But all I could think about was Saana.And Suzanne—she was at the center of it tonight, shining in a lilac dress that didn’t suit her but made her stand out. Lady Seraphina took her hand as if she was some prized servant plucked from obscurity, and whispered something to her loud enough for a few to hear.“A reward,” she announced with a huge smile. “A token for those who preserve the palace's harmony.”Harmony. The word r
Lady Seraphina’s POVThe council would meet again in four days.Four.Long enough for the palace to breathe itself into yet another illusion of stability. Long enough for whispers to start circling again. Long enough for someone to grow suspicious, but not bold.I’d made sure of that.I stood before the tall mirror in my private quarters, not to admire, but to assess.The burgundy robe draped across my frame had once belonged to a queen from the old bloodline—a family long erased, but whose ornaments remained in the palace vaults for those of us who still knew how to reach for power with grace.I fastened a brooch to my shoulder. A golden lily.Irony never fails to amuse me. The lilies had always bloomed on the graves of failed women.They say Omegas smell like honeyed heat when frightened. I wouldn’t know. I don't spend enough time near them anymore—not since the last one cried at my feet and begged for a position she wasn’t fit to hold. I remember her name. And her insolence.Fr
Lyra’s POVThe kitchens were louder than usual that morning, but not with conversation—just noise. I stood near the roster board, feigning interest in the new routine allocations, while my eyes scanned the list taped beside it.And then I saw it.Saana's name had been scratched out.Not erased—scratched. With a knife, or a pin, or perhaps a nail.Her name, which had previously been placed between Brad's and Cecily’s on the day shift, was gone. A jagged blank space in its place.It was deliberate.I stared at it for a long time. Long enough to draw attention if someone cared to watch. Someone did."You're blocking the way," came a voice behind me.I stepped aside before I saw her. But I knew it was her. Anya brushed past me, her hips barely brushing mine, and when she turned her head, her eyes found mine without effort.She smiled. A slow, smug, deliberate smirk. Nothing too grand, just enough to slice. She didn't say anything more. She didn’t need to. She walked away, footsteps soft,
Lyra’s POVSleep did not come, but I still lay under the covers, breath even, arms tucked loosely across my stomach. My mind was restless, but my body remained obediently still.Then the trunk at the foot of my bed creaked. Not loudly, but just enough. A pause. Then a faint click. Again. And again.The rhythm of someone fumbling with the lock. I didn’t move. The darkness helped both of us.But I could sense the figure bent over the truck at the foot of my bed, breathing carefully as if afraid of being heard.The lock clinked once more, then silence.Whoever it was had either given up, or decided to try again later.When I finally opened my eyes, it was morning, and I had a plan. It was crude, but cautious has lost its edge.I rewrote a version of Ethan’s letter. Perhaps, it might mislead whoever was trying to crack my truck last night.I had to make sure Saana was safe. I wrote about a different location, and made sure not to mention her name. Bait.The real letter was still inta