G12
We circled each other, breathing hard. She lunged this time, grabbing my hair and yanking hard. Pain shot through my scalp, but I didn’t care. I elbowed her in the stomach, making her gasp, and shoved her into a table. “You’ve hated me your whole life!” I shouted. “Why? Because the pack saw through you? Because you knew you’d never be good enough?”
Her eyes burned with fury. “Good enough? I was always better than you! You were just too blind to see it! I was destined to be Luna–not you!”
I laughed bitterly. “Luna? You’re nothing but a liar and a murderer. You’ll never be anything more than a jealous, pathetic excuse for a sister”
Her face twisted in rage, and she charged at me again. We tumbled to the ground, both of us shouting, punching, kicking.
The sound of breaking glass and our heavy breathing filled the empty shop, but I didn’t care. All I wanted was to hurt her the way she’d hurt me. To make her pay for what she’d done.
But deep down, I knew nothing I did to her would ever fill the void she’d left in my heart. Zephyr and Lilith were gone, and no amount of fighting would bring them back.
I pinned her down, my hands gripping her wrists as she squirmed beneath me, screaming insults. My heart pounded in my ears, my vision clouded with red. I wanted to end it. End her. For everything she’d taken from me–for Zephyr, for Lilith, for the life she stole.
But before I could strike, a sharp, searing pain shot through my neck. I gasped, my grip loosening as my body suddenly felt like it was on fire. My limbs went numb, and I collapsed beside her, my vision blurring.
The last thing I saw was Celeste’s triumphant smirk as she stood over me, holding an empty syringe.
When I woke, the air was cold and damp, and the darkness around me felt suffocating. My head pounded, my body sluggish, and I realized with a sinking feeling that I couldn’t move my arms or legs. Chains. I was chained.
Then, suddenly, light exploded above me, bright and blinding. I squinted, my eyes stinging as I tried to adjust. The first figure I saw was Celeste, standing there with her arms crossed, looking down at me like she’d already
won.
“You’re awake,” she said, her voice sickly sweet.
Behind her, another figure stepped into the light, and my stomach dropped. The old woman from the train. The one who’d sold me the necklace that concealed my scent.
“You,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. “Why are you here?”
The old woman smiled, a sly, conniving grin that made my skin crawl. “Why else, dear? Business.”
I turned to Celeste, my heart racing “You… you paid her?”
Celeste tilted her head, mocking me with her feigned pity. “Diamonds, gold, money–you’d be surprised what people will do for the right price.”
C
My mind raced, trying to make sense of it all. The old woman had seemed harmless, just a peddler selling trinkets. But now I could see the truth–she was a dark witch, someone who sold her loyalty to the highest bidder.
“What do you want, Celeste?” I spat, my voice trembling with anger.
She crouched in front of me, her eyes gleaming with malice. “Oh, Lyra Isn’t it obvious? Your power. That
precious healing power of yours that makes everyone worship you. I want it”
I glared at her, clenching my fists even though my body felt too weak to fight. “You can’t take it. It’s mine.”
The old woman chuckled darkly, her voice like nails scraping against stone. “Oh, she can I can make it happen. A little spell here, a ritual there, and voilà
Calanta laanad algan har hrath hat anainat mus fana
Banished and Betrayed, But She Walked Again–And Rejected Him
Celeste leaned closer, her breath hot against my face. “But I’ve been thinking, Lyra. Why stop at just your power? Why not take everything? Your body, your life. You’ve already lived your happy little fairytale. It’s my turn now.”
My blood ran cold. “You’re insane,” I whispered, struggling against the chains.
She laughed, standing up and looking down at me like I was some pathetic creature. “Maybe. But who cares? When this is over, I’ll be you. And you… well, you’ll just disappear.”
The old woman began muttering under her breath, her hands moving in strange, intricate gestures. The air grew heavy, a dark energy filling the room.
The room buzzed with a suffocating energy as the old woman started chanting, her voice low and guttural. I could feel the air shift, heavy and electric, making my skin crawl. My arms strained against the chains, my body trembling with a mix of anger and terror.
“You won’t get away with this!” I screamed, glaring at Celeste as she stood smugly across the room.
She tilted her head, smirking. “Oh, Lyra, sweet, naive Lyra. Haven’t you realized? I already have.”
The old woman’s chanting grew louder, her hands weaving through the air in intricate patterns. I felt something cold and sharp seep into me, like ice water flowing through my veins. My head spun, my heartbeat pounding in my
ears.
“No!” I shouted, thrashing against the chains. “Stop this!”