Lyra

Two weeks have passed since, but I couldn’t shake that unsettling feeling of being watched. When had it begun… was it the woods? The moment the glyph magik merged with me, I felt instantly like I was a deer in the sights of a hunter, the taste of rust and blood still lingered in my mouth, no amount of brushing or mead could get it out. No amount of sleep could shake the nightmares, and Kaelen was being bizarre and distant from me. Very unlike his usual food focused self.

After he rushed us both back home and somehow single handedly put away a spooked griffin and manticore, I still have no idea how he did that, he put me to bed with herbs and crackers and refused to talk.

I couldn’t figure out why the color had drained from his face when he saw those glyphs, and why he wouldn’t tell me what they read. Obviously, I would have to take matters into my own hands if he continued to act this way—Later on though, because mother has not stopped bothering me about getting dressed up for the arrival of my cousin later this evening.

I brushed my untamed hair into a braid, and washed the griffin spit and grime off my face. I had never met this cousin, but expected her to be prissy. All I have been told about why she was here is that she is on a trip to go to Sky Haven for the Celestial Cathedral, and is a high ranking priestess. I rolled my eyes.

Celestial mumbo jumbo. Pfft. Nothing but a bunch of manticore shit.

It was the church that promised that the rule of the obsidian sovereign would be squashed by the celestials, but so far the greater beings have done no acts to stop the push of the sovereign. All prayers seem to fall on the emptiness of space, and the uncaring hearts of cosmic beings.

I pulled my favorite tunic of leaves and vines over my head, and completed the outfit with the newest, and cleanest, trousers I could find. Mother might say I look

“Unlady like” and “Manish.”

But she knows deep down that I am far more comfortable in these clothes. I turn and head for the door of my studio, grabbing my moss cloak on the way out. My studio is nestled above the stables, but I still prefer sleeping in the hayloft adjacent, falling asleep to the sounds of Zephyra and other beasts below.

The stairs that lead up to my studio are covered in mud and dirt, my mind always pleased by how they look. First thing I ever crafted with my mother. She taught me how to shape the wood and everything, and now fifteen years later I get to use them to carry me home. I stop and gaze around the stable a bit more before heading to Zephyra’s stall and leaning in with some fruit and a dead lizard. Zephyra looks up at me and happily saunters over to gobble up her treats. I scratch her under her neck feathers and talk softly,

“Hey girl, who's my sweet kitty-birdy baby?”

The griffin purrs and leans in closer, its front talons kneading the ground.

“I’ll be back, I got to go meet some fancy relative and her friend, once I am back we can go hunt some rabbits, I promise.”

I could see the acknowledgement in her golden eyes as she clicked her beak a few times. I pet her, then started making my way towards the house, which seemed to be bursting to life as two people and their beast arrived at the front gate.

******

I arrived at the courtyard just in time for mother to grab my arm and pull me in to her and father. I may be an adult, but I still have a family image to uphold, even to those related to us. I gave her a weak smile and turned to face our guests.

Coming through the gates came two figures. One draped in a tunic of soft, golden fabric, shimmering with light like the dual suns above. A light red and gold cloak rested on her shoulders, catching the wind and drifting behind her like a ray of light engulfing her being. Auburn hair fell in curls around her half-elf ears, and warm amber eyes squished closed as she smiled at the waiting family.

That must be cousin Elysia. I shifted my focus to the woman next to her. Chestnut-brown hair went down to her hips, her dark complexion held a strong angry gaze filled with eyes so blue that I felt my heart skipping a beat. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, my gaze lasted a little too long and I met her eyes, getting a well deserved glare right back. Bashfully, I looked down at the ground and tried not to anger our guests by staring any harder.

“Welcome to our home Priestess Elysia, and Elara of Lyranside.” My father said, raising his arms around the both of them and pulling them into a warm embrace. My cousin hugged back, her companion stood awkwardly letting it happen as the two spoke.

“Oh uncle, it is so very nice to see you! I have not been here since I was a child and it has not changed one bit!”

He let go and smiled down at his niece. I could see the family resemblance, she shared her human side of the family with us. My father and her mother are the bridge to that part of us, but she was mixed with High Elf blood, unlike my own wood elf flowing through me. Alike, but still so different.

“Nothing but me, I ain’t half the man I used to be.” Father stated, half joking, half sad truth. I pushed the sadness that statement brought up, I would lose him far quicker than I would lose my mother. This thought lingered as I continued focusing on maintaining my half smile on my face.

“Lyra! I have not seen you since we were both so young! Remember how much fun we used to have!”

I dropped my smile, “I don’t remember fun, I remember you tricking me into doing things and me taking all the blame when we got in trouble.”

My mother elbowed me in my ribs, my mouth tightly closed shut. Elysia just smiled and let out a small laugh, “Always so sensitive, just the same.”

I rolled my eyes and hunched in as she changed the subject and gestured at her friend behind her.

“Oh yes, how rude of me. This is Elara. She is my body guard assigned to me by the Cathedral for my journey.”

“It is so lovely to have you in our home, anyone who is a friend of Elysia’s is a friend of ours.” My mother reached out and grasped the warrior's hand, shaking it warmly. Elara responded, her voice slightly deep, but comforting.

“Thank you for having me. It is an honor to be here with the Wild Mage and Everglades Protector.”

Names from the old wars my father and mother fought in so long ago before the fall to the Obsidian Sovereign. It threw me off when people treated my parents like folk heroes, but I had to remember they had lives before I was born. Lives that saved many others.

“Let’s all get inside, the food is getting cold.”

My father ushered us into the house, and the gate was closed tightly behind us.

******

The dinner conversation was as dry as the turkey the chef and their stewards had carved at the table. Talks of Celestial promises, the grand rebirth of light, and all other sorts of griffin shit that I couldn’t care less about. The magik of the Cathedral was a lie, only used for celestial gains and manipulation of peasants' spirits. A real shame Elysia ended up as a priestess of the dual suns, and now spread these beliefs like plague. I knew my parents were both smart enough not to buy in, but they still entertained this talk at their dinner table. Unbelievable.

“…and that is why we are on our way to Sky Haven. Hopefully, some of the Queen’s scholars can help with the disappearances.”

“What disappearances?” I interrupted, clearly not paying attention to what led up to this point.

Mother gave me a cool look and Elysia turned her amber gaze to me, the candle light making them glow with a subtle golden haze, her auburn hair framing her soft features perfectly.

“The ones that have been happening around the realm. Children have been stolen away and all that is found is deep, heavy, tracks of what seems to be a very heavy beast. There have been reports of a metallic chimera being spotted as well. We have no idea if these are connected, but it is our duty to make it to Sky Haven and get attention put on the rising crisis. They have been treating the Cathedral with less attention ever since the attempted assasination. They say it's our fault that someone was radicalized enough to try to kill the Obsidian Sovereign. ”

I stopped breathing. Could that have been what we faced in the forest? My heart beat started to race as smells of flesh and metal seemed to reignite in my nostrils. Then snapping back to reality I started to cough out my mead.

“Lyra! Oh my goodness!” Mother shouted as she slapped my back. Both the guests pulled back as I coughed into my napkin.

“That…that sounds horrible!”

I managed to choke out, trying to keep my composure.

A suspicious glance came from Elara, her goblet resting in front of her face as she twirled the small amount left in the brass. She then looked back at Elysia, who was dabbing coughed up mead off her nice cloak.

“Yes, awfully. That is why we are asking for help from Sky Haven, even if it falls on uncaring ears, but first we have to make it to Everglade to gain access to the bridge above the shatteredlands. The compound happened to be only a day away from the city by griffinsback. We will have to follow a path into the heart of the old growth. Elara is very familiar with the jungles of her home, so this forest shouldn’t be a problem for a warrior like her.”

Father nodded, “Sounds tiring. I will make sure Kaelen packs plenty of food for you two. I stay out of the affairs of the isles, but can happily offer you a place to rest tonight.”

I could see the relief in my cousin's eyes, she knew it was risky to be traveling as a celestial priestess with only one body guard while the sovereign held rule. The practice of celestial worship was banned to only the Celestial Cathedrals grounds, any worship or talk of it outside of there was punishable by banishment to the shattered lands. The news of the assassin being a Celestial zealot didn’t help them.

How foolish to live for a cause that could kill you.

I cleaned my plate and dinner ended shortly after. After bidding everyone a farewell, I scribbled a note and shuffled into the kitchen.

I stood there for a second and let out a pained sigh, I could feel my veins started to burn. I would deal with that later.

Secretly, I shoved it into Kaelen’s apron pocket and made my way back to the stables.