_Chapter 10: The Dark Secret_
Arianna's eyes seemed to bore into Lyra's soul as she asked the question. Lyra felt a sense of unease wash over her, as if she was being pulled into a dark and foreboding world.
"What do you mean?" Lyra asked, trying to stall for time.
Arianna leaned back in her chair, her expression unreadable. "I mean that there's something in your past that you're not telling us," she said. "Something that could be connected to the strange occurrences that have been happening around you."
Lyra felt a sense of panic rising up inside her. She didn't know what Arianna was talking about, but she knew that she had to be careful. She couldn't let Arianna see the fear that was growing inside her.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Lyra said, trying to sound calm.
Arianna raised an eyebrow. "Don't play dumb with me, Lyra," she said. "I know that you're hiding something. And I'm going to find out what it is."
Lyra felt a sense of dread wash over her. She knew that she was in trouble, that Arianna was going to stop at nothing to uncover the truth.
Suddenly, Kael spoke up. "Arianna, I think we should be careful here," he said. "We don't know what we're dealing with, and we don't want to push Lyra too hard."
Arianna turned to Kael, her expression cold. "I can handle this, Kael," she said. "I've been doing this for a long time, and I know how to get the truth out of people."
Kael looked at Lyra, his eyes filled with concern. Lyra knew that he was trying to protect her, but she also knew that she had to be strong. She had to face whatever was coming her way, no matter how scary it might be.
"It's okay, Kael," Lyra said, trying to sound brave. "I can handle this. I'll tell Arianna whatever she wants to know."
Arianna smiled, her eyes glinting with triumph. "Good," she said. "I'm glad you're being cooperative, Lyra. Now, let's get down to business. Tell me about your past. Tell me about your family, your friends, your enemies. Tell me everything."
Lyra took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. She knew that she had to be careful, that she had to reveal only as much as she had to. But she also knew that she had to be honest, that she had to tell Arianna the truth.
"I don't know where to start," Lyra said, trying to stall for time.
Arianna leaned forward, her eyes burning with intensity. "Start at the beginning," she said. "Tell me about your childhood, your family. Tell me everything."
Lyra took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. She knew that she had to be careful, that she had to reveal only as much as she had to. But she also knew that she had to be honest, that she had to tell Arianna the truth.
"I grew up in a small village on the outskirts of the kingdom," Lyra said, trying to keep her voice steady. "My parents were farmers, and I had a younger brother. We were a happy family, but we were also very poor. We struggled to make ends meet, and there were times when we went hungry."
Arianna nodded, her eyes never leaving Lyra's face. "Go on," she said.
Lyra took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. She knew that she had to be careful, that she had to reveal only as much as she had to. But she also knew that she had to be honest, that she had to tell Arianna the truth.
"As I got older, I began to realize that I was different from the other children in the village," Lyra said, trying to keep her voice steady. "I had strange dreams and visions, and I could sense things that other people couldn't. I didn't know what was happening to me, but I knew that it was something big."
Arianna leaned forward, her eyes burning with intensity. "What kind of dreams and visions did you have?" she asked.
Lyra hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But something about Arianna's expression made her trust the woman. She took a deep breath and began to tell Arianna about her dreams and visions.
"I had dreams about a great battle between good and evil," Lyra said, trying to keep her voice steady. "I saw armies of warriors clashing on a great plain, and I saw a figure standing on a hill, watching the battle unfold. The figure was tall and imposing, with eyes that seemed to see right through me."
Arianna nodded, her eyes gleaming with interest. "And what happened in these dreams?" she asked, her voice low and urgent.
Lyra hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But something about Arianna's expression made her trust the woman. She took a deep breath and continued.
"In the dreams, I saw the figure on the hill raise its hand, and the battle stopped," Lyra said, her voice barely above a whisper. "The warriors on both sides looked up at the figure, and I saw a look of awe and wonder on their faces. And then, the figure spoke, its voice booming across the plain."
Arianna leaned forward, her eyes burning with intensity. "What did the figure say?" she asked, her voice low and urgent.
Lyra hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But something about Arianna's expression made her trust the woman. She took a deep breath and continued.
"The figure said, 'The time of prophecy is at hand,'" Lyra said, her voice barely above a whisper. "And then, the dream ended."
Arianna sat back in her chair, her eyes gleaming with interest. "I think we're getting somewhere," she said, her voice low and urgent. "But I need to ask you one more thing, Lyra. Are you sure you're telling me the truth?"
Lyra felt a surge of anger at the question. "Of course I'm telling you the truth," she said, her voice firm. "Why would I lie to you?"
Arianna smiled, her eyes glinting with amusement. "I'm not saying you're lying, Lyra," she said. "I'm just saying that sometimes, people don't tell the whole truth, even when they think they are."
Lyra felt a sense of unease at Arianna's words. She knew that the woman was right, that sometimes people didn't tell the whole truth. But she also knew that she had told Arianna everything she knew.
"I'm telling you the truth," Lyra said, her voice firm. "I don't know what else to say."
Arianna nodded, her eyes gleaming with interest. "I believe you, Lyra," she said. "But I still need to investigate further. I'll need to talk to Kael and the others, see if they've noticed anything strange."
Lyra felt a sense of relief at Arianna's words. She knew that the woman was going to help her, that she was going to uncover the truth behind the strange occurrences.
But as she stood up to leave, Lyra felt a sense of unease. She knew that she was in danger, that there were people who wanted to hurt her. And she knew that she had to be careful, that she had to watch her back.
As she walked out of Arianna's chambers, Lyra felt a sense of trepidation. She knew that she was walking into a world of danger and uncertainty, a world where anything could happen.
And then, just as she was about to turn the corner, Lyra heard a faint whispering in her ear. "You're not safe, Lyra," the voice whispered. "You're not safe at all."
Lyra spun around, but there was no one there. The whispering seemed to come from all around her, echoing off the walls.
And then, just as suddenly as it had started, the whispering stopped. Lyra was left standing alone, wondering what had just happened.
But as she turned to continue down the corridor, Lyra saw something that made her blood run cold. A figure was standing in the shadows, watching her.
And as Lyra looked into the figure's eyes, she knew that she was in grave danger...