Chapter 72 Not ready
~ Lyra's POV ~
The look on Taren’s face reflected mine perfectly as we stood there, rooted to the spot, waiting in suffocating dread for whoever was approaching.
My heart hammered wildly against my ribs while my thoughts raced ahead of me, already plotting desperate solutions.
Even as panic clawed at me, I forced myself to rein it in because the last thing I needed was to lose control again and accidentally use magic. I knew that one more mistake would only plunge us into deeper trouble than we were already in.
The door finally opened, and when the figure stepped inside, it was Elder Rowan.
“Oh dear heavens,” I breathed out shakily, the relief crashing through me so hard that my shoulders sagged and the tension slowly drained from my body. It felt as though I had been holding my breath for an eternity.
“Uhm,” Elder Rowan began, looking from Taren to me with evident confusion, clearly taken aback by our reaction to his presence. “Okay, spill the tea. What is going on here?” he asked, his tone light but inquisitive.
“You scared us,” I admitted, still exhaling through my mouth as I tried to steady my breathing.
“Scared you?” he repeated, his brows lifting. “Why would my coming here scare you?”
“You don't know?” Taren asked carefully, studying the elder’s face.
“Know what?” Elder Rowan responded, his confusion deepening with every passing second. “What is going on with both of you? Speak and stop keeping me on edge. I am too old for this kind of prank,” he said, his brows knitting into a mild frown even though curiosity still lingered unmistakably in his eyes.
“It is not a prank,” I said, and then I began to narrate everything that had happened at the archives, leaving nothing out.
By the time I finished speaking, Elder Rowan looked as though he could hardly believe what he had just heard.
“What?” he exclaimed. “How did that even happen in the first place?”
“It was not intentional, I swear,” I said quickly, my voice trembling despite my effort to sound composed. “I did not mean to do it.”
“She has been losing control of her powers and she has not been herself since that vision,” Taren added, smoothly picking up from where I left off and clearly intent on defending me. “It has been messing with her mind.”
“Ah,” Elder Rowan murmured, and a look of understanding finally settled on his face. “I see. All of us who witnessed the last war have our share of trauma. We have either tried to live with it or bury it since that time. It is not an easy thing to see or to experience. None of us was spared. Not me, not Taren, and not even Alpha. So I understand what is going on in your head,” he explained gently. “Perhaps we are rushing you a little too much. You should slow down and take this learning gradually.”
The moment he said it, I knew I could not accept that suggestion. Even before the words fully settled in my heart, I shook my head in refusal.
“I can't,” I said quietly.
“Why not?” he asked, the confusion returning to his face.
“If I do, everyone is going to die,” I answered, my voice firm despite the fear tightening my chest.
Instead of easing the tension, my words only deepened it, and I could see Taren’s expression shift as confusion joined Elder Rowan’s.
“What?” Taren asked. “Why do you think that?”
“I don't think it,” I replied in a small voice as I lowered my eyes. “I know it. The next war will happen on the day of the next eclipse, and the next eclipse is only a month away,” I revealed at last, finally letting out the truth I had been keeping from them since the day the vision first came to me.
“Are you sure about this?” Elder Rowan asked, his eyes widening as his jaw visibly dropped in shock.
“Very,” I answered without hesitation, my voice steady even though my chest felt tight.
“Why did you not tell us?” Taren finally asked, and there was a sharp edge to his tone that I deliberately chose not to analyze.
“I don't know,” I admitted softly. “I guess I did not want you to panic, especially when I am not even ready for what is coming,” I confessed, my words spilling out with quiet honesty.
Silence settled heavily over the room, stretching for a few heartbeats before Elder Rowan spoke again.
“Listen, Lyra,” he began, his voice firm yet gentle. “You should know by now that we are a team. We do not expect you to take on the Void Wolf all by yourself. We are meant to work together. So please stop hiding information like this and stop burdening yourself with more responsibility than you can carry. Do what you can, and we will handle the rest. I don't want to believe that you still see yourself as a prisoner here. By now you should understand that you are family. This fight is not yours alone.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, my voice cracking slightly. “It was all too much for me to handle, and I did not know what to think,” I apologized sincerely.
"It's all right,” Elder Rowan replied with a reassuring nod. “I understand your situation, and we will get through this,” he said encouragingly before turning his attention to Taren.
“As for you, Taren,” he continued, his tone shifting into something more serious, “now that Dagan is looking for you, it is no longer safe for you to step out of this quarters. If you do, you risk a second trial, and that will leave you with only one more before you are demoted.”
The word demoted echoed loudly in my ears.
“Demoted?” I asked, alarmed. “Why?”
“Well,” Elder Rowan explained calmly, “as a warrior of Iron Fang, you can only stand trial three times. After that, you are stripped of your rank and position. It is the law.”
“Oh,” I murmured. “I did not know that.”
“I will inform Alpha about the current situation and return to you both,” he said decisively.
“But if I don't go out, how will I get her food?” Taren asked, concern evident in his voice.
“Dont worry about that for now,” Elder Rowan replied. “I will explain things to Kaitlyn and ask her to bring the food instead, or I will bring it myself. Until we hear from Alpha, do not leave these quarters,” he instructed firmly before turning and leaving the room.
After the door closed, I broke the silence. “You know, I just realized that you never told me about your experience during the war. Can you tell me what it was like for you?” I asked, fixing my gaze on Taren.
“I’m sorry, my lady,” he said gently. “As much as I would like to discuss this with you, I don't think this is the best time, considering the state of your mind.”
“You are right,” I agreed quietly. “I will go back to searching for the disguise spell,” I said, returning my attention to the book in front of me. A moment later, I looked up at him again.
“Can you at least take a seat?” I asked softly. “I am not comfortable with you standing for so long.”
“I am a warrior,” he replied calmly. “I am trained for this, so do not worry about it. Please do not insist because if anyone catches me sitting in here, I may not be able to defend myself.”
“Okay,” I said, understanding his reasoning.
Silence settled over us once more as I flipped through page after page, searching desperately for the one spell that could pull us out of this mess.
Time passed before Elder Rowan returned, but the look on his face immediately told me that something was wrong.
“I could not reach Alpha on the phone,” he said, “but I left him a message, and I believe he will get back to me once he sees it.”
Before I could ask if Kael was all right, he turned to Taren.
“Also, Dagan is determined to get to you by any means necessary. No one is allowed to bring food upstairs unless it is you, because according to him, it is your responsibility. However, Alpha has a few supplies in his room, so you two will have to manage with that for the night. And Taren, you will be spending the night in the library.”