Chapter 7 Whispers in the Night

Lyra's eyes never left Kael's face as they stood there, the only sound the distant howling of wolves. She felt like she was drowning in the depths of his gaze, like he could see right through to her soul. Finally, Kael broke the silence. "We need to get out of here," he said, his voice low and rough. "It's not safe." Lyra nodded, still feeling a little dazed. As they made their way back through the forest, she couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. She kept looking over her shoulder, expecting to see the guardian's imposing form looming behind them.

But there was never anyone there. As they walked, the silence between them grew thicker, like a physical presence. Lyra didn't know what to say, didn't know how to process the revelations of the past few hours. Kael seemed to sense her unease. He reached out and took her hand, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through her body. "Hey," he said, his voice soft. "We'll figure this out, okay? Together." Lyra's heart skipped a beat. No one had ever made her feel this way before. No one had ever made her feel so... seen. As they walked, the trees seemed to close in around them, casting deep, velvety shadows on the ground. Lyra felt like she was stepping into a different world, a world where the rules were different and the stakes were higher. And Kael was right by her side, his hand holding hers like a lifeline. Suddenly, Lyra heard a faint whispering in her ear. It was a soft, raspy voice, and it seemed to be coming from all around her. "Lyra," the voice whispered. "Be careful who you trust." Lyra's heart skipped a beat. Who was speaking to her? And what did they mean? She tried to turn to Kael, to ask him if he'd heard the voice too. But he was staring straight ahead, his eyes fixed on some point in the distance. And Lyra realized, with a jolt of fear, that she was completely alone in this.