She turned and walked out without sparing either of them another glance, heading straight for the healer's administrative quarters. Clearly, she intended to release herself from their care.
Fenris's face drained of color. His fingers trembled slightly, his eyes wide with shock and something close to panic. Beside him, Selene let out a soft, mocking laugh. She leaned in close, her voice a whisper meant only for him. "See that, Fenris? She just trampled all over your feelings."
Fenris said nothing for a long moment. His throat worked as he swallowed. When he finally spoke, his voice carried the brittle certainty of someone trying to convince himself. "She won't go through with it. Once she calms down, she'll retrieve the crystal and the ring."
"We've been bonded in promise for years. What we have runs too deep. She won't actually reject me over something this small."
The words had barely left his mouth when Lyra returned, release papers in hand. She'd heard every word.
A cold, mocking smile curved her lips. She didn't stop walking.
Fenris, you really do think too highly of yourself. No one waits in the same place forever. No one compromises endlessly for a bond that's already rotted through. A rejection is never about one small thing—it's about countless small wounds piling up until they finally crush the last bit of hope.
Fenris caught the contempt in her eyes, and his expression darkened further. The three of them stood frozen at the doorway, no one speaking.
Before long, Fenris's communication stone pulsed urgently. Something pressing at the Central Den demanded his attention. He left first, but not before instructing Selene to make sure Lyra returned to the Ashenvale estate safely.
The carriage was silent with just the two of them inside. The atmosphere pressed down, suffocating. They were halfway through the forest road when it happened—
CRASH!
The impact came without warning. The carriage lurched violently, spinning out of control as the horses screamed. The sickening sensation of weightlessness sent Lyra's head reeling. She grabbed for the carriage rail instinctively, but her body was thrown sideways, her forehead slamming into the wooden frame. Pain exploded through her skull. Before she could process what was happening, a runaway supply wagon barreled into them. A wave of splintering wood and the shriek of metal fastenings washed over her.