Chereads / Fractured Destiny / Chapter 4 - Chapter 4 : Betrayal and Protection

Chapter 4 - Chapter 4 : Betrayal and Protection

Before the arrow could stab Lyra, Kael grabbed it by his hand in a flash of light. His eyes blazed with fury, and his jaw clenched in anger. He looked... very angry. Lyra felt a shiver run down her spine as she took in the intensity of his emotions.

With a swift motion, Kael drew his sword and strode toward the assassin. The would-be killer cowered, his eyes wide with fear. Lyra watched, frozen, as Kael towered over the assassin, his sword pressed against the man's throat.

"Who sent you?" Kael growled, his voice low and menacing.

The assassin trembled, spitting out the name of the Valyria family head – Lyra's stepfather. Lyra's heart sank, though she had predicted this outcome. Kael's anger seemed to intensify, his sword flashing in the light as he ended the assassin's life with a swift stroke.

As the assassin crumpled to the ground, Lyra noticed something strange – a black aura surrounding Kael's sword. It seemed to pulse with a dark energy, and Lyra felt a shiver run down her spine. She wondered if anyone else could see it, but the guards standing nearby seemed oblivious.

At that moment, Lyra realized that Kael's powers seemed more... vampire-like than elf-like. It was a strange observation, given that he was a member of the El'goroth family.

Kael turned to Lyra, his expression softening as he took in her pale face. He strode toward her, his long legs eating up the distance, and scooped her up in his arms. Lyra felt a surge of surprise, but before she could react, Kael had deposited her into the carriage.

As he settled in beside her, Kael's eyes locked onto hers, his gaze burning with intensity. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice low and husky.

Lyra nodded, still feeling a bit dazed. "Y-yes. Thank you."

Kael's eyes seemed to gleam with satisfaction, and he reached out to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. The touch sent shivers down her spine.

As they reached the mansion, Lyra watched Kael issue orders to his general, instructing him to investigate the assassination attempt. She felt a sense of relief wash over her, knowing that Kael would do everything in his power to protect her.

Upon arriving at the mansion, Lyra retired to her room, exhaustion catching up with her. She fell into a deep sleep, only to be awakened by the sound of servants announcing dinner.

As she made her way to the dinner table, Lyra noticed that Ryrien, Kael's little brother, was absent. Kael excused himself to fetch Ryrien, but the young boy had locked himself in his room.

Kael's patience wore thin as he warned Ryrien that he would break down the door if he didn't open it. Lyra intervened, knocking gently on the door and coaxing Ryrien to open it.

The young boy's face was streaked with tears as he flung himself into Lyra's arms. "I was so worried about you!" he sobbed.

Lyra comforted Ryrien, patting his head and offering words of reassurance. Kael watched the scene unfold, a strange sensation stirring in his chest. It felt... almost like love. But he pushed the feeling aside, attributing it to mere protectiveness.

As the evening drew to a close, the family sat down to dinner together. Lyra felt a sense of belonging, however fleeting, as she shared a meal with them.

As they retired to their respective rooms, Lyra couldn't shake the feeling that her life was about to become even more complicated.

To be continued..