Chapter 5 – Secrets Between Them
The next day, Kieran found her behind the old oak tree, the shadows of its branches stretching like skeletal fingers.
"You shouldn't face it alone," he said, voice low, almost tender. "It's dangerous. I can't always protect you."
Lyra's voice trembled. "Then help me. I don't want to wait for midnight to decide my fate."
Their eyes met. The air between them thickened. Something unspoken passed—fear, attraction, trust.
Then Kieran reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Lyra's breath caught. She wanted to step back, but her heart betrayed her.
A whisper, soft but deadly, floated on the wind:"The curse knows you, Lyra. Midnight will come… and it will choose."
Lyra realized: the fight had only begun. Kieran was not just her ally… he might be the key to surviving—or the reason she couldn't.