112
LYRIC
Dinner was beyond fine with Jaris. It wasn’t the first time a guy had asked me to dinner, but it was the first time I was ever having dinner with someone. Well, other than Jace.
Jaris and I discussed light topics while we ate. I was surprised he actually knew how to hold a conversation.
JARIS
“Tell me more about yourself, Lyric,” I suddenly said as I used my knife and fork on my steak. “Like, what were you doing before you returned to Nyxvale?”
If someone had told me months ago that Lyric and I would be having dinner in a fancy restaurant someday, I never would’ve
believed it.
But here I was, hopelessly enjoying her laughter and every single thing she said.
I didn’t even know what I was thinking when I asked her to this dinner last night. But well here we were. And if I had to, I wouldn’t mind asking her all over again.
I guess I had Nerion to thank for this. All I had to do to get her home was swallow my pride and apologize. It wasn’t so difficult.
“Uh…” her smile faltered. Didn’t she want to discuss her past?
“I actually worked as a doctor in Mystopia.”
Mystopia. That was where my brother was imprisoned.
“I see.” I put some steak into my mouth.
“It was a good experience. I didn’t have a lot of things to worry about.”
“You sound like you have a lot of things to worry about now,” I huffed, drawing a small laugh from her.
I found it cute that it was easy to make her laugh. And man, she had one of the cutest smiles.
“Actually, I do. If you think of it.” She rolled her eyes.
Hm. I’d definitely have to do something about this eye–rolling. She was too used to it.
“So, you were a doctor there until your father called you home?”
Her next response came after a slight hesitation. “N–Not really. I had problems at work and had to leave.”
My brows furrowed, my interest piqued. “What kind of problems?”
She took a deep breath. “It’s a long story.”
I gave her a long stare. I wish I could get it out of her though. It was crazy how I was getting fascinated by her.
“That woman you chased after in traffic the other day, can you honestly tell me who she was?”
Unease glimmered subtly in her eyes. For a moment, I thought she’d actually get up and run.
“I-” she struggled for words, unconsciously playing with her cutlery. “She’s just someone I used to know. She um…she took something that belonged to me. Something important.”
Now I was even more curious.
“And…this thing isn’t replaceable? It’s so important you had to run after her in traffic and nearly lost your mind?”
“Yes!” Her voice rose a notch.
Realizing her mistake, she sighed to calm herself.
“You don’t understand. It’s a long story.”
And just like that, I knew she was closing the topic.
Nerion had done all he could to get information on her, but it’s been impossible. It was as if Lyric Harper never existed until few months ago. How was she shadowed in her family?
“Why do you always have that necklace on?” I tapped my head toward the one on her neck. “Remember that night I took it from you? I checked the pendant. It was filled wit Successfully unlocked!
It was impossible to miss the new anxiety on her face.
“But from what I know about you, Lyric, you haven’t lost anyone important. So, who does it belong to?”
Her reply didn’t come swiftly. She chewed her lips for some time before getting something out.
1/2
112
“It isn’t real ash. I just–1 just came across it and liked it.”
And you were so obsessed with it you had to wait outside my lodge for hours to get it back.
But I didn’t say that to her. The lady was filled with too many secrets, It made me wonder if she could actually be trusted. We continued eating with a calmer topic. Gradually, she got to ease up and her genuine smiles were back.
“Thank you for the treat,” she said with a smile as we walked back to the car.
“It’s nothing. You can just pay me back.”
“What?” She chuckled. “You didn’t tell me I’d be owing you a favour, Alpha Jaris.”
“Nothing goes for nothing.” I shrugged.
Walking side by side, I stared down at her hands. I’d missed holding them. The only times I got to was during the ‘dreams.‘ But she didn’t take the pills last night. I didn’t know why.
Right now, I couldn’t help but wonder if she’d react to me taking her hand in mine. Would it be too strange? Would she become dramatic?
“Lyric,” My voice came out softer.
We were by the car now, and as she stood face–to–face with me, I had a hard time concentrating.
She was too damn beautiful. I’d acknowledged that from the first day I saw her. But the stubborn me had always been bent on pushing her away.
“There’s something you need to know.” I tucked my hands into my pockets and watched her brows rise in curiosity.
“Okay?”
“There’s a reason I suddenly grew cold at the mating ceremony. And why I always thought you slept around. I was misled into believing you were that kind of a person.”
The furrow in her brow deepened. “Misled? By who?”
I went ahead to tell her. All about Zarek. The video, his confession.
By the time I finished, she was so shocked her face could be used as an illustration for the word.
“What the hell?!” She panicked. “This happened and I had no idea?! How could he? How could he do this to me, that son of a bitch?!”
If the situation wasn’t too serious, I probably would’ve laughed. Seeing Lyric this angry and swearing was a funny sight.
“I judged you because I thought you consciously slept with him. I-”
“No! I’d never!” She recoiled. “I’m not some cheap whore. I don’t just go around-”
“Lyric,” I took her hand. Fuck, I was finally touching her.
But it was under the disguise of trying to get her to calm down. She was clearly panicking.
“I believe you. Right now, I just want to know how you were lured to the garden. Who lured you?”
Her brows knitted together as she seemed to think about it.
“It was-”
Her phone vibrated in her bag.
She released her hand from mine to get it and appeared confused when she checked the screen. “Guinevere?” She called as she placed the phone over her ear.
The call wasn’t on speaker, but I was close enough to hear Guinevere’s panicked voice.
“Where are you, Lyric? Come here this instant! They’re dead. All the patients are dead!”
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