The deeper Lyra went-
The quieter the forest became.
At first, she didn't notice.
Her focus had been on the hunt, on staying alert, on not falling behind. But somewhere along the way, the sounds of the other riders faded.
No footsteps.
No voices.
No movement.
Just silence.
Lyra slowed her horse, her brows furrowing slightly as she looked around.
"...This isn't right."
The path she had been following was gone.
Or maybe-
She had never been on one to begin with.
Tall trees surrounded her from every direction, their branches twisting together so tightly that even the light struggled to pass through. The air felt heavier here.
Unfamiliar.
Unwelcoming.
Lyra turned her horse slightly, trying to retrace her steps.
But everything looked the same.
Every direction identical.
Her grip on the reins tightened.
"...Great."
Time passed.
Too much time.
The forest didn't change.
If anything, it grew darker.
Thicker.
More suffocating.
Lyra finally dismounted, her patience wearing
thin.
"I'm not going in circles," she muttered.
But the quiet didn't agree.
A faint unease settled in her chest.
Not fear.
Just-
Awareness.
She walked forward carefully, leading the horse behind her, her eyes scanning the ground, the trees, anything that could guide her back.
Then-
A sharp step.
Pain shot through her foot instantly.
Lyra gasped softly, her body jerking as she stumbled forward slightly.
"...What-"
She looked down.
A jagged piece of glass-half-buried in the dirt-had pierced through her shoe, cutting into her skin.
Her breath hitched.
The pain wasn't unbearable.
But it was sharp.
Annoying.
Inconvenient.
"...Seriously?"
She pulled her foot back carefully, wincing as the movement made it worse.
Blood slowly began to seep through the fabric.
Lyra exhaled slowly, steadying herself.
"This just keeps getting better."
Elsewhere-
Kael had already noticed.
The moment the bond shifted.
It wasn't pain.
↓
Not like before.
This was different.
Uneven.
Distant.
Wrong.
He stopped mid-step, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"...She's too far."
Annoying.
He didn't want to deal with this.
Didn't want to search for her.
Didn't want to fix anything.
And yet-
His feet moved anyway.
Deeper into the forest.
Following something he couldn't see.
Couldn't control.
"...This is a waste of time," he muttered.
Lyra leaned against a tree, carefully removing her shoe.
The cut wasn't deep.
But it was enough.
Enough to slow her down.
Enough to make moving difficult.
Her fingers hovered over the glass piece still
lodged slightly in her skin.
"I'll deal with it."
She reached down-
Then stopped
A sound.
Footsteps.
Close
Her body tensed instantly.
Her gaze snapped toward the trees.
"Who's there?"
Silence.
Then-
A figure stepped forward.
Kael
Lyra blinked
Just once.
"You?"
Kael's expression didn't change.
Cold
Unreadable.
"Disappointed?" he asked flatly.
Lyra straightened slightly.
Ignoring the pain.
"I was managing," she replied.
Kael's gaze dropped to her foot.
To the blood.
His jaw tightened
"Clearly."
Lyra frowned.
"I said I'm fine."
Kael stepped closer.
Ignoring her words.
Ignoring her tone.
"Sit."
It wasn't a suggestion.
Lyra's eyes narrowed instantly.
"No."
Kael didn't react.
"Sit," he repeated.
Lyra crossed her arms slightly.
"I don't take orders-"
Before she could finish-
Kael moved.
Fast
He grabbed her arm-not roughly, but firmly-and guided her down against the tree.
Lyra stiffened.
"Don't-
"Stop talking"
His voice cut through hers.
Low
Sharp.
Dangerously controlled.
Lyra froze
Not because she was scared.
But because-
Something in his tone made it clear.
This wasn't an argument
This was... something else.
Kael crouched in front of her, his focus entirely
an her injured foot.
His hands were steady.
Precise
He reached for the glass.
Lyra's breath caught slightly.
"Careful," she muttered.
Kael didn't respond
Of course he didn't.
Slowly-
He pulled the shard out.
Lyra flinched despite herself, her fingers
tightening slightly against the bark behind her.
A small sound escaped her before she could
stop it
Kael paused
Just for a second.
Then continued.
"Hold still" he said
Quieter this time.
Lyra clenched her jaw.
"I am"
Another lie.
But he ignored it.
He tore a strip from his own sleeve without hesitation, wrapping it tightly around her foot to stop the bleeding.
His movements-
Efficient
Controlled.
Unfamiliar.
Lyra watched him.
Closely
"I thought you didn't care," she said after a
moment
Kael's hands stilled briefly.
Then continued tying the cloth.
"I don't," he replied.
Instant
Cold.
Lyra let out a quiet breath.
"Then why are you here?"
Kael tightened the knot slightly.
Not enough to hurt.
But enough to remind her.
"The bond," he said. "Don't make it sound like it's
anything else."
Lyra's lips pressed into a thin line.
Of course
It was always that.
Never anything more.
"Right," she said.
Silence followed.
But this time-
It felt different.
Closer
Not soft
Never soft.
But...
Less distant
Kael stood, stepping back immediately
Creating space again.
Like he needed it
Lyra noticed.
Of course she did.
"You're lost too, aren't you?" she said.
Kael didn't answer.
Which was answer enough.
Lyra almost smiled.
Almost.
"Well," she said, pushing herself up carefully,
"that's unfortunate."
Kael glanced at her briefly.
Then looked away.
"Stay close," he said.
Lyra raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't you say you didn't care?"
Kael's expression didn't change..
"I don't."
A pause
Then-
"But I'm not carrying you"
Lyra scoffed softly,
"As if I'd let you."
And just like that-
They stood there.
Lost.
In a forest neither fully controlled.
Bound by something neither wanted.
Forced to walk side by side-
Whether they liked it or not.