Chapter 6: A Visitor In The Dark

I rushed to the bars.

"Wait!"

My voice echoed through the prison, but the silver wolf was already gone.

The corridor was empty.

Had I imagined it?

I gripped the cold iron bars and stared into the darkness until my eyes burned. Nothing moved except the torchlight dancing against the stone walls.

A guard appeared at the end of the hallway.

"What are you yelling about?" he barked.

"There was a wolf."

He frowned.

"What wolf?"

"A silver one. It was standing right there."

He looked around before letting out a short laugh.

"You've been locked up for a few hours, not a few years. Try to get some sleep."

"I'm serious."

He shook his head and walked away, muttering something about stressed brides.

I slowly released the bars.

Maybe he was right.

Maybe exhaustion was playing tricks on me.

But the eyes...

They had looked so real.

---

Sleep never came.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Kael standing between Selena and me.

Not beside me.

Not reaching for me.

Between us.

Just before dawn, the sound of keys rattling outside my cell pulled me from my thoughts.

The door opened, and Martha stepped inside carrying a small basket.

"Martha?"

Before I could say another word, she wrapped me in a tight hug.

"My poor child."

The kindness in her voice broke the wall I'd been trying to hold up.

I buried my face against her shoulder.

"They all think I did it."

"I know."

"I didn't."

"I know that too."

Fresh tears rolled down my cheeks.

"You believe me?"

She pulled back and gently brushed a strand of hair away from my face.

"I've known you since you were a little girl who rescued injured birds and cried when flowers wilted."

A faint smile tugged at my lips.

"You remember that?"

"You hid a baby rabbit in the Alpha's kitchen for three days."

Despite everything, I laughed.

"It kept following me."

"It nearly gave the cooks a heart attack."

The laughter faded as quickly as it came.

Martha looked at my stained wedding dress and sighed.

"I brought you something."

She opened the basket.

Inside was a simple gray dress, a warm loaf of bread, fresh fruit, and a small blanket.

"You can't stay in that wedding gown forever."

My fingers brushed over the soft fabric.

"Thank you."

She smiled sadly.

"I wish I could do more."

As I changed behind a privacy screen, Martha quietly folded my wedding dress.

She handled it with such care that it almost felt like she was folding a precious memory.

"I'll keep this safe," she said.

I looked at the dress one last time.

"I don't know if I'll ever wear white again."

Martha's eyes filled with tears, but she didn't argue.

---

After breakfast, she lowered her voice.

"I heard something last night."

I froze.

"What?"

"The council isn't united."

I stepped closer.

"What do you mean?"

"Some elders believe you're innocent."

Hope flickered inside me.

"But they're afraid."

"Afraid of who?"

She glanced toward the door as if someone might be listening.

"I don't know."

A chill ran down my spine.

"There was shouting after the ceremony," she continued. "One of the elders kept saying the evidence appeared too... convenient."

"What happened?"

"He was silenced."

"Silenced?"

"He was removed from the meeting."

Before I could ask another question, footsteps echoed down the corridor.

Martha quickly picked up the empty basket.

"I have to go."

She squeezed my hands.

"Don't lose hope, Lyra."

"I'm trying."

"No." She smiled gently. "Try harder."

She walked out just as the prison door opened again.

This time, it wasn't a guard.

It was Selena.

She wore a fresh blue dress, her wounds neatly bandaged. Two guards stood behind her, but she waved them away.

"I'd like a moment alone."

The guards exchanged uncertain glances before stepping back.

The door remained open.

Selena slowly walked toward my cell.

For several seconds, she simply stared at me.

"I never thought we'd meet like this," she said.

I folded my arms.

"What do you want?"

She smiled.

It wasn't frightened.

It wasn't broken.

It was the same smug smile she used to wear in school whenever she made me cry.

The tears.

The trembling.

The terrified victim...

They were gone.

"I just wanted to see your face," she said softly.

"You lied."

"Did I?"

"You know I didn't do this."

She stepped closer to the bars.

"I know."

My heart stopped.

"You admit it?"

"Oh, Lyra." She laughed quietly. "No one's listening."

"Why?"

Her blue eyes glittered with satisfaction.

"Because I finally won."

"I never wanted to compete with you."

"You didn't have to."

Her smile disappeared.

"You existed."

I frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"The pathetic little girl everyone ignored."

"The girl Kael defended."

"The girl he eventually loved."

She leaned closer.

"That should've been me."

"You left him."

"I made a mistake."

"And now you're making another."

She shrugged.

"As long as he believes me, mistakes don't matter."

Rage burned through me.

"One day he'll learn the truth."

Her expression didn't change.

"No."

She tapped one finger against the iron bars.

"Because by the time he does..."

Her voice dropped to a whisper.

"...you'll already be gone."

The color drained from my face.

"What are you talking about?"

She smiled one last time.

"You should be more worried about tomorrow than today."

Then she turned and walked away.

I gripped the bars so tightly my knuckles turned white.

Tomorrow?

What was supposed to happen tomorrow?

As Selena disappeared around the corner, I noticed something glinting beneath the edge of her bandage.

A silver pendant.

The same crescent moon pendant...

...my father had worn the day he died.