Chapter 66 The vision
~ Taren's POV ~
The excitement I had felt earlier that morning at the thought of seeing Lyra wake up after passing out the previous day was completely crushed the moment I saw the Alpha stepping out of her bathroom. The sight alone was enough to sour my mood instantly, replacing relief with a sharp surge of irritation and unease.
The look I shot him should have been more than enough to communicate my disapproval. It should have told him plainly that whatever he had just done crossed a line and was entirely improper. Yet he did not even pause or acknowledge it. He simply walked past me as though nothing was amiss and left without a word, his indifference only deepening my frustration.
Over the past few days, I had been watching him closely whenever Lyra was around. I could not ignore the subtle shifts in his behavior, the way his attention lingered on her longer than necessary. Something seemed to be going on with him, something I did not fully understand.
Did he like her? The thought made my chest tighten immediately. No, that could not be possible. She was a witch, and he hated witches. I refused to believe that anything about that had changed, no matter how unsettling his actions appeared.
Bringing Lyra to the archives was something I had planned for a long time. I had been deliberate about it, careful, even excited. I wanted this moment alone with her to matter. I wanted to know her better, to spend time with her away from prying eyes. More than that, I had intended to finally make my feelings known to her during this period. But standing there with my thoughts in disarray and my mood clouded by Alpha’s actions, I knew I could not do any of that. So I forced myself to push everything aside and focus on the task at hand.
Nothing could have prepared me for what followed. The shelves splitting apart, the pearl shattering in her palm, and the wall opening as though it had been waiting for her all along were things I never expected to witness. Each moment sent a shock straight through me, leaving me frozen in awe and disbelief. Despite it all, Lyra succeeded in retrieving the items we had come for. That alone should have been the end of it. But it was not.
What I truly did not expect was for her to open one of the scrolls, gasp sharply, and then suddenly freeze in place. Her eyes widened unnaturally, and before I could even react, a silver scale spread over her irises, shimmering faintly in the light.
“My lady,” I called out in alarm, my voice sharp with fear. She did not respond. She did not even blink. Panic clawed at my chest as I stepped closer and gently shook her shoulder, trying to pull her back to me. It did nothing. She remained completely still, as though she had been carved from stone.
Confusion overwhelmed me. I couldn't understand what was happening to her, and the helplessness of the moment made my hands tremble slightly. With no response from her, I made a quick decision. I turned to the remaining scrolls, hoping desperately that one of them might contain some explanation for what was happening.
I opened the first scroll, only to be met with the same unfamiliar language that I could not decipher. Frustration mounted as I opened the second one and realized it was written in the same incomprehensible script. Just as that realization settled in, I heard the door to the archives open behind me.
My heart leapt straight into my throat. For a terrifying second, I was certain we had been discovered.
“Elder Rowan?” I called out when I recognized him stepping inside. Relief flooded through me so strongly that my knees nearly weakened. “What are you doing here?” I asked, grateful that my fear had not been realized.
“I went to check on the lady and did not find her in her room,” he explained as he approached. “Then I remembered you mentioned the archives last night, so I decided to check here before raising any alarm.” He stopped when he reached my side.
“Oh. I understand,” I said quickly. “I’m sorry. I should have informed you before we left.”
“It's fine,” he replied, though his attention had already shifted to Lyra. Confusion settled on his face as he took in her unmoving form. “What is wrong with her?” he asked, frowning as he leaned closer to examine her.
“I don't know,” I admitted honestly. “She has been like that ever since she read that scroll.”
“What is in it?” he asked quietly.
“I don't know,” I admitted. “They are words written in a language I don't understand.”
“Lyra, can you hear me?” Elder Rowan called out as he waved his hand slowly in front of her face, searching desperately for any sign of awareness. There was no reaction at all.
“It looks like she is in some kind of trance,” I said.
“You don't know anything about this or why it is happening?” he asked, turning his attention back to me.
“No,” I answered honestly. “My knowledge ends with helping her find her wolf and bringing her here. Beyond that, I know nothing. I was told that once I brought her here, she would figure everything out on her own.”
“So we just wait, then?” he asked, clearly unsettled by the idea.
“Yes,” I said reluctantly. “The only thing we can do is wait and hope that she snaps out of it soon.”
“This is frightening,” he muttered. “Did you check the other scrolls?”
“I was doing that before you arrived,” I replied. “The ones I have checked are all written in the same language. All except this one.” I paused as I opened yet another scroll and realized with surprise that its contents were written in English.
“What does it say?” Elder Rowan asked, curiosity sharpening his tone.
I took a steady breath and began to read aloud.
“If you are reading this, then it means that the Lunaris heir has found this prophecy and that you have been specifically chosen for this role. She wields powers she does not yet understand, and because of that she is dangerous even to you. But the Void Wolf will return, and she is your only answer. You must protect her no matter the cost, because if she dies then all creatures will be doomed. If she is frozen at this moment, let her be. Do not move her and do not disturb her. Her spirit is within a vision, and once the assignment is complete, she will return to her body.”
When I finished, I let the scroll slip from my fingers. It fell onto the table as I lifted my gaze to Elder Rowan, who looked just as deep in thought as I felt.
“This is confusing,” he said slowly. “She is dangerous, yet we must protect her no matter the cost.” He released a heavy sigh and lowered himself into one of the chairs nearby.
I followed suit, sitting down as well, and made one last attempt to open the remaining scrolls. Each one proved useless, written in languages I could not decipher. Eventually, I stopped trying and resigned myself to waiting.
A few minutes later, Elder Rowan left quietly, explaining that his prolonged absence might raise suspicion. He promised to return in an hour.
I remained behind without hesitation. There was no chance I would leave Lyra alone in that state. The message on the scroll stirred a soft, almost bitter laugh from me. If whoever wrote it knew how deeply I had already fallen for her, they would not have needed to instruct me to protect her at all costs. I was already prepared to do so, prophecy or not.
Nearly three hours later, Lyra suddenly sucked in a sharp breath. The silver scale faded from her eyes as she returned fully to her physical form, though she still looked disoriented and unsteady.
“Are you all right?” I asked immediately, rushing toward her, worry thick in my voice.
Her response came without warning. She stretched her hand out in my direction, and a violent burst of silver flames exploded from her palm.
I reacted on instinct, dodging out of the way just in time to avoid being burned alive. The flames struck the nearest shelf instead, obliterating the section they touched. The force sent fragments and debris flying violently across the archive, scattering pieces in every direction as the shock of it left me frozen in disbelief.