The battle ended temporarily.
But tension remained.
Lyra sat beside the stranger while a healer sealed his wound using glowing magic threads.
"You shouldn't have jumped in like that," he said quietly.
"You would've died," she replied.
He looked at her differently after that.
Not just as someone he was protecting.
But someone who might protect him too.
That scared him.
"You risk too much," he said.
Lyra shook her head.
"So do you."
Silence followed.
Then he spoke again.
"I wasn't always your ally."
Lyra looked up.
"I used to work for the Guild."
Her heart skipped.
"What?"
"I was one of their hunters."
Everything went quiet.
"I believed power should belong to the strong," he continued. "Until I saw what they really did."
His jaw tightened.
"They destroy anyone who might become stronger than them."
Lyra understood now.
"You saved me because I reminded you of someone?"
He nodded slightly.
"My sister."
Lyra's chest tightened.
"What happened to her?"
His voice became cold.
"The Guild killed her… after I refused to hand her over."
Lyra reached forward without thinking.
Her hand touched his.
"I'm sorry."
He didn't pull away.
For the first time, his guard dropped slightly.
Kael watched from across the room.
Rylan noticed too.
Emotions were becoming complicated.
Dangerous.
Then suddenly
Blood appeared on the mirror.
Words formed slowly.
WE SEE EVERYTHING
Lyra stepped back.
More letters formed.
THE GIRL BELONGS TO US
The stranger stood immediately.
"They're getting closer."
Lyra swallowed.
"I'm not anyone's property."
Kael smiled slightly.
"Good answer."
A final message appeared:
TOMORROW WE TAKE HER