𝔏𝔢𝔤𝔢𝔫𝔡 𝔬𝔣 𝔗𝔢𝔯𝔯𝔞𝔡𝔢𝔩 ✓

Chapter 15: The First Traitor

"You're back," a deep voice said, waking Lyra up from her restless sleep.

"Mira (pronounced Meera)," she mumbled, looking up to see one of her aquaintances peering in the tent that Lyra had lived in since her mom died.

"I was only gone for 2 days at the most," Lyra countered, sitting up.

"Yes but the most you've been gone is a few hours," Mira pointed out. "Anyways, where's Mino? He's never away from your side."

"Mino's in a better place," she responded, before realizig what she just said. "He's not dead!"

"Thank goodness," Mira sighed. "You scared me for a second."

Lyra stifled her laugh and explained, "What I meant to say is he's somewhere safer than this flimsy tent."

Noticing the bitterness in Lyra's voice, Mira gave her a sympathetic smile.

"That's awesome that you found him a home where he can be safe. I know that's all you've ever wanted for him," she replied. "You look even more stressed out than usual. You should keep resting."

And with that Mira left the tent. Lyra had never thought of Elliot's house as Mino's permanent home, but if it would keep him safe then maybe she would ask them to take care of Mino forever after this. If he was in safe arms, she would be able to go on her own way without worry.

After that night, Lyra had come straight to the place she's always called home: a tent set up in an alleyway. Fortunately, she lived in the place where other kind and caring people who just happened to be homeless also lived.

Anyways, Lyra had thought long and hard the next day and had calmed down tremendously. She admitted that to her, all of them were friends. It didn't matter that she felt she didn't belong or that they didn't care about her the way she did them. Lyra would always think that the five teenagers were at least the closest thing she could call companions.

Mixed in with whatever she was feeling for Kylian, Lyra just needed a break. Besides, she was never meant to be on that quest. She was dragged in by Elliot and Kylian. Although Kylian also wasn't a rider, it was obvious he was meant to go and help his friends.

Stepping out of the tent, she saw Mira sitting next to her elderly grandma. They always liked to sit and watch the busy streets as people went by.

"I want to tell you something," she told Mira, plopping down next to her and launching into the story of how she got into all this mess.

"And well, I've only been around these five people for a few days. Do you think that they're my friends and that I'm meant to be with them on this quest?"

"I'm sorry Lyra, I can't really answer your  questions. Do they know anyone here? Maybe you can find someone who knows your friends and ask."

"Good idea," Lyra responded, her face brightening. "And I know just the person."

Pushing others to get to where she wanted, Lyra smiled when she found the library and opened the door. The bell rang, but she didn't see anyone inside.

Lyra had never met the owner, but before she had first spoken to Kylian and his friends, she eavesdropped on their conversation about dragons with him when she was trying to figure out how to get Kylian's watch. Oh how things have changed since then, she thought, amused.

Scanning through the books, she was now out of sight from everyone. The bookshelf was much too tall to see her. Lyra heard the bell ring and was about to step out when she heard an interesting conversation that Jacques seemed to be having with himself.

"I seem to be on the right track," he was mumbling. "The dragons are captured and the riders will be too weak to look for them. Besides, they don't suspect that I would capture them. After all, I've been putting up with those brats for a long time. Stupid teens, they thought I couldn't see them riding in the air or the weather changing. Since when does it snow at this time a year?"

"The first time I saw all of them together even I knew they were part of this prophecy and they would be riders. Good thing I'm one step ahead of them. However, they seem to be missing one person. The prophecy clearly says 6 riders and they came in with 5 people. I'll have to find the last one before they can."

Thanks to her luck, Lyra tripped over her own feet. She gasped, before staying quiet.

"Who's there?" Jacques asked. Lyra could still see over the top of the current shelf that was at her level and ducked down.

He was right on the other side of her, but thankfully said, "Probably nothing."

He grunted before leaving the building again. Lyra sighed in relief before realizing that she had to go warn the others. It didn't matter if she wasn't apart of the prophecy. This was too important! Last time Lyra had seen them, they had been sleeping in the cave. Slipping out of the shop, Lyra ran as fast as she could towards the forest.