Chapter 95 Unnatural cloud
~ Lyra's POV ~
Taren instantly chuckled when he saw what had just happened, the sound leaving him before he could stop it.
“You know who that is?” he asked, turning briefly to look at me before shifting his attention back to the path ahead of us.
“Fin. My forever enemy,” I replied, and my answer only made him laugh harder, as though the situation amused him far more than it should have.
“I am sure he has been the most tormented person ever since the announcement was made yesterday,” he said, still clearly entertained by the thought.
“As it should be. I hope he keeps running all his life, even from his own shadow,” I said coldly, locking eyes with a few people we passed along the way. Some glared at me openly, others stared longer than necessary as though trying to decipher me, while a few chose to completely ignore my presence.
I didn't care. I had already prepared my mind for their reactions long before stepping out, so their hostility and curiosity did not bother me as much as I had once feared it would.
We soon arrived at the garden, and I was not disappointed in the slightest. I had only ever seen a small glimpse of it from the window of my room, and I had caught a partial view from the front on the day I was summoned to the clinic to help Elder Rowan. Seeing it fully now not only met my expectations but brought a deep sense of calm to my being, one I had not felt in a long while.
I had always found solace in nature. It was the very thing that had driven me to spend extra time in the forest whenever I went out to fetch herbs for my aunt. Being surrounded by growing, breathing life had always quieted something restless inside me.
The garden was bright and overflowing with life. Sunlight filtered through layers of green leaves and painted warm golden patches across the ground. Red, pink, and white flowers bloomed everywhere, their petals soft, full, and fresh as though they had only just opened that morning. The air carried a sweet scent of blossoms mixed with clean earth, and bees and butterflies drifted lazily from one bloom to another.
A narrow path curved gently past thick grass and climbing vines that wrapped themselves lovingly around stone borders. Nearby, water trickled from a fountain, the sound soft and rhythmic, soothing in a way that felt almost magical. Fruit trees stood quietly at the edges, their branches heavy with ripe apples and figs that hung temptingly in the sunlight. The entire garden felt alive and peaceful at once, a place that lightened the heart and eased the mind without effort.
“This is beautiful. I bet it is the most beautiful spot in the whole house,” I said to Taren, my voice filled with genuine awe.
He shook his head slightly as we continued walking. “There are other beautiful places. This is just one of them,” he countered calmly as we approached the fountain.
“I will only believe it when I see it,” I said as I settled myself on the edge of the fountain, my body relaxing while my eyes continued to wander around in open admiration. “You know, I had been very worried about my first shift. I didn't want it to happen inside a room. I wanted it to happen in an open space, under the full gaze of the moon and surrounded by nature. I am just realizing now that this would be the perfect place for it,” I added, my voice softer as the thought fully formed in my mind.
“Its going to happen on the next full moon, right?” Taren asked, his gaze thoughtful as he stood beside me. I remained seated while he stayed on his feet, and I did not bother asking him to sit because I already knew he would refuse.
“Yes, it is,” I answered. “Lunaris said she is more than ready, and I cannot wait to finally meet her,” I continued, my excitement slipping clearly into my voice despite my attempt to sound composed.
Taren nodded. “The next full moon is in a few days. I’m glad you got your freedom before such an important event. I also cannot wait to meet Lunaris,” he said, and my smile widened at his words.
“You will definitely meet her soon. I will make sure you are by my side when it happens,” I assured him.
Almost immediately after those words left my mouth, I felt the atmosphere around us shift, as though the air itself had grown heavier.
I looked around instinctively, expecting to see or sense something unusual, but nothing appeared out of place at first, which only deepened my confusion.
“What is wrong, my lady?” Taren asked, having noticed my sudden discomfort and the change in my demeanor.
“I’m not sure. I feel kind of off,” I replied as I climbed down from the fountain and slowly scanned our surroundings.
I had barely completed a full turn when my eyes caught on something that made my heart nearly stop. Far in the distance, hovering somewhere beyond the house, was the same unnatural cloud pattern I had seen in my dream the night before.
“What is that?” I asked, my voice tight as Taren followed the direction of my gaze to see what had caught my attention.
“I have no idea what that is, but I have a feeling it is not good news,” he answered, his face mirroring the same unease and horror I felt. “Do you know what it is? Should we inform Alpha?”
“I saw it in my dream last night, and I can assure you it is bad news,” I said, my certainty doing nothing to ease the dread in my chest.
He turned to me immediately. “We should inform Alpha,” he said, and after speaking he turned to leave.
I reached out instinctively and grabbed his hand to stop him, and that single action triggered a reaction I had not expected.
Taren let out a groan, his free hand clutching his chest as his expression twisted in pain. I did not need anyone to explain it before I released him almost instantly, the memory of what had happened at the archives flashing through my mind. This time, thankfully, he did not collapse to the ground, but the sight still made my stomach twist.
I didn't know what had just happened or why it had happened, but I hated it with every part of me.
“I’m so sorry. Are you alright?” I asked, forcing myself to keep my distance even though every instinct urged me to move closer to him.
His groaning slowly subsided, and after a few tense moments, his expression gradually returned to normal.