Chapter 29 Fire
~Taren’s POV~
I had taken Lyra’s food from the kitchen and was already wheeling the trolley toward the elevator when a familiar figure caught my eye. It was Fin.
He was moving in the direction of the training grounds, his long strides slow and heavy, as though each step demanded more strength from him than he currently possessed. I called his name, and he stopped abruptly, turning to face me.
“Hey. How have you been, man?” he asked, extending a hand. When I shook it, I felt the weariness clinging to him like damp clothes after a storm. His face looked drawn out, his shoulders slumped, and his eyes carried the dullness of someone who had barely slept for several nights.
A small part of me felt a flicker of sympathy for him, but the thought of Lyra’s reaction, the laughter she would release and the delight she would feel when I told her what I was about to do, erased that sympathy immediately.
“I am good,” I replied, then allowed a look of concern to slowly settle onto my face. “You look tired and worn out. Are you sick?” I asked in the softest voice I could manage.
He shook his head. “Not sick, just stressed. Training has been draining lately, but I will be fine.”
“I am sure you will be,” I said, still holding on to the deliberately worried tone. “But Fin, there is something that has been troubling me for a while. I have been meaning to ask you, but I never found the right moment.”
His curiosity lit up instantly. He tilted his head slightly, his eyes sharpening as he focused entirely on me. “What is it?”
“I don't even know how to bring it up,” I murmured, lowering my voice as though I were about to share a dangerous secret. “It is about the witch prisoner.”
At the mention of Lyra, the shift in his expression was immediate. His posture straightened slightly and the weariness in his eyes sharpened into something else. I continued, watching the reaction deepen.
“I heard her last night,” I said slowly, as though recalling something painful. “I heard her calling out names of people who had offended her. And the strange thing, Fin, was that she mentioned your name.” I paused, letting the weight settle. His eyes widened just a fraction, but enough to tell me that the hook had sunk in. “She did not say your name once. She said it three times, unlike the others she said only once.”
The moment the words left my mouth, I could practically hear his heart rate spike. His breathing hitched and his gaze darted toward the floor as though the ground itself could offer him answers.
“Are you serious?” he whispered, barely able to form the words.
“Dead serious,” I replied with the straightest face I could manage. “I don't know what you did to her, but you need to find a way to appease her before the situation becomes dangerous. You know how unpredictable witches can be.”
I left him standing there, swallowed by panic and uncertainty. I stepped into the elevator, and just before the doors closed fully, I turned and saw him still rooted to the exact spot, eyes wide and mind spinning with fear. The doors slid shut and a slow, pleased smile pulled at the corners of my mouth. Satisfaction spread through my chest in a warm, unapologetic wave.
When I reached the top floor, I pushed the trolley toward Lyra's door and opened it before I remembered that I had sworn to myself to always knock first. The guilt barely settled when I noticed the faint worry on her face. She hid it quickly beneath a smile, but I had already seen it.
“Good evening, my lady. Is everything alright?” I asked gently as I wheeled the trolley to the familiar corner.
“I’m fine,” she said with a soft smile. “Just a little lonely. I'm happy you are here now. My days would have been unbearable without your visits. So thank you for always coming.”
“Please do not thank me. Serving you is a great honor. I will gladly do it again and again, for as long as I am needed,” I said with complete sincerity, and her smile widened in a way that made my chest feel warm.
It was a beautiful sight. A sight I would not mind seeing every single day of my life.
“Come and eat while I tell you something interesting that happened earlier,” I said, letting my voice carry a playful note. Her silver eyes brightened with curiosity. She said nothing, only moved gracefully toward the sofa and sat down. She uncovered the food, inhaled the aroma, then took her first bite while fixing her expectant gaze on me.
So I began.
I narrated the entire encounter with Fin from start to finish, using every expression and every detail exactly as they had happened. Lyra responded with soft giggles at first, then let out a full, melodic laugh that made my heart flutter in my chest.
“Oh my. You are enjoying this too much,” she said, chewing a piece of meat so casually that I lost my train of thought for a moment.
“I have to enjoy it. This place becomes unbearably boring sometimes. I take every opportunity to find fun wherever I can. And this is fun,” I said truthfully.
She laughed again, the sound light and intoxicating.
“You are having fun at your brother’s expense,” she said with raised brows.
“He deserves it,” I replied without hesitation. “After everything he did, he can afford to suffer a little. Even though I am grateful he ratted you out, because I would not have met you otherwise.”
She smiled softly. “I agree.”
But after a few breaths, the brightness on her face dimmed. A new heaviness settled over her features.
“Is something wrong?” I asked.
“Not really. I am just curious.”
“Curious about what?”
“Your Alpha. Is he alright?” she asked.
I had not expected that question. I could not think of any reason for her to worry about him, yet concern lingered in her gaze.
“He is fine,” I replied. “Why do you ask?”
“I’m not sure,” she murmured. “If he is fine, then why do people think I bewitched him?”
I understood immediately. A smile touched my lips.
“I do not know if anyone has already told you this, but Alpha Kael has a deep hatred for witches. Many think you bewitched him simply because of how differently he treats you. He did not show you the cruelty they expected, so they assume something must be influencing him.” I saw her shoulders fall slightly and quickly added, “Do not let their words trouble you. They are speaking from their limited understanding. Nothing more.”
She gave a small smile, but it did not carry the fullness I hoped for. Wanting to lift her spirits, I reached into the compartment in my shoe and retrieved a folded torn page.
“I obtained the next level of your practice material,” I announced.
That got her attention instantly. Her eyes widened. “Next level?”
I nodded proudly. “We have completed the basic ones and you mastered them without difficulty. It is time to learn to work with and control the elements.”
I placed the folded page in her hand. She opened it and gasped loudly.
“Fire?” she exclaimed in disbelief. “We are starting with fire? I thought I would start with something simpler.”
“I didn't know it was fire. I grabbed the first page I saw because I was trying not to get caught. If you think it is too much, I can bring you another one tomorrow.”
She stared at the instructions again, her brows creasing slightly.
“I think I can try,” she whispered finally.
She read the words repeatedly, absorbing the instructions. Then she moved her hands exactly as the spell required and spoke the words with focused intent. Within seconds, a burst of fire appeared on her palm, bright and red and breathtaking.
Both our eyes widened at the same time.
At first the flame flickered calmly, almost obediently. But then it began to grow. The fire crackled louder, its colors deepening. Within moments it turned wild, swelling beyond her control.
“What is happening?” she cried, panic rising in her voice. The moment her fear spiked, the flame responded, surging higher with reckless hunger.
“I think it is reacting to your emotions. Try to stay calm. Slow your breathing. See if you can control it,” I urged, hoping desperately that she could.
It took several long breaths, a few whispered chants, and an intense inner struggle before the fire finally hesitated, shrank, and slowly faded away. The moment it disappeared, she released a sharp, breathless exhale.
“Wheeww!”