(Lyria's POV)
The guards finally arrived—panting, confused, clutching their weapons far too late.
But Lyria didn't hear any of them.
Her eyes stayed fixed on Raven's back as she walked away from the dissipating ash pile, her posture stiff, shoulders tight as if bracing against invisible weight.
"Raven," Lyria called, stepping forward.
Raven didn't stop.
"Raven, wait."
This time Raven paused.
Barely.
Just enough for Lyria to catch up and stand in front of her.
Cara moved to Lyria's side immediately, but didn't interrupt.
Lyria's voice trembled despite her attempt to sound collected.
"Why did that creature know your name?"
Raven's jaw tightened , anger was still evident on her face.
"Princess … not now please ."
"Then when?" Lyria insisted, heart pounding. "It spoke to you. Only to you. And you answered it. In a language none of us understood."
Her breath caught. "Are we… are the kingdom in danger because of you?"
Raven's expression darkened, but not with anger.
With something that looked like grief.
"No," she said quietly.
"I would never let anything hurt you."
It wasn't the answer Lyria asked for.
And Raven knew it.
She moved to walk past her, but Lyria stepped in front of her again—closer this time.
"Raven… I'm not asking as a princess."
Her voice softened.
"I'm asking as someone who—worries about you."
For a moment, something flickered in Raven's eyes.
Conflict.
Pain.
Fear.
But then she looked away.
"I can't tell you," she said.
Her voice barely audible.
Lyria felt her chest tighten painfully.
"Why?" she whispered.
Raven closed her eyes.
"Because if you knew… you'd be afraid of me , everyone will be afraid."
Cara cleared her throat softly, stepping between them as Raven stepped back.
"Your Highness," Cara said carefully, "I think Raven needs space."
Lyria turned sharply. "She needs help, not space."
Cara shook her head.
"No. She needs time. And… you need to understand something."
Lyria frowned. "What?"
Cara lowered her voice, serious in a way Lyria rarely saw.
"Raven is hiding things. Big things. Dangerous things."
She hesitated. "She's not an ordinary huntress. And she's not being targeted by accident."
Lyria's stomach dropped.
"You think she's a threat?"
"No."
Cara's answer was immediate.
Certain.
"But I do think she's carrying something heavy. Something she doesn't want us caught in."
Lyria glanced back at Raven, who now stood a few steps away, tense and silent, like a warrior waiting to be judged.
Cara touched Lyria's shoulder.
"Just… be careful with how deep you go."
Lyria swallowed hard.
"What if I already am?"
Cara gave her a slow, knowing look.
"You mean, what if you already are ?"
Lyria's face flushed hot, but no denial came this time.
She couldn't force one.
Cara sighed.
"That's what I was afraid of."
⸻
Raven watched them quietly—expression unreadable, but her fingers curled into fists.
She heard Lyria's trembling voice.
Heard Cara's warning.
And it hurt more than the Hollowborn ever could.
Because Raven finally understood something:
The closer Lyria got to her…
the more danger she was in.
___________
Raven turned, ready to walk away.
Lyria felt panic spike through her chest like a blade.
"Raven—wait!"
Her voice cracked more than she wanted it to.
Raven froze again, shoulders stiff, but didn't turn immediately.
When she finally did, her face was unreadable. Calm. Too calm.
"Where are you going?" Lyria asked, stepping closer.
"After what just happened—after you nearly died—can't you just stay? At least tonight?"
Raven shook her head gently.
"I need time , i need to take care of something."
"Time for what?"
Lyria's voice trembled.
"To push us away?"
Raven looked down at the ground.
"It's not about you."
"It is about me," Lyria whispered.
"Because I— I saw your face back there. You weren't just fighting that creature. You were fighting something inside you."
She swallowed, desperate. "Please don't shut me out , please let us help you."
Raven closed her eyes as if the words physically hurt her.
"Princess … this is dangerous."
"I don't care."
"You should."
Lyria felt her breath hitch. She reached forward, gently grabbing Raven's wrist.
"Just talk to me," she pleaded. "Tell me anything. Why did that thing come for you? Why did it say your name? Why—"
Raven stepped back, slipping from her grip.
"I can't," she whispered.
"Why not?"
"Because the truth is bigger than it seems, and it will hurt ," Raven said softly.
Her eyes finally lifted, and they were filled with something raw—fear, regret, longing.
"And I don't want to be the one who does that."
Lyria's heart cracked cleanly down the middle.
Raven turned again to leave.
But before walking away, she spoke—quiet, steady, full of unspoken promises.
"Princess … I will see you tomorrow."
She paused, glancing back only once.
"I promised the king I'd protect you. And I won't break a promise."
Then she walked away.
And this time, she didn't stop.
Lyria managed to hold herself together until she reached the palace.
Until she forced a smile at the guards.
Until she climbed the stairs alone.
Until she shut the door behind her and the silence swallowed her whole.
Only then did her knees give out.
She slid down to the floor beside her bed, hands trembling, heart aching so fiercely she pressed a palm to her chest as if trying to hold it together.
"She doesn't trust me…"
Her voice broke into a whisper.
"She still won't trust me…"
Tears spilled—hot, silent at first.
Then all at once.
She buried her face in her hands, shoulders shaking.
Why did it hurt this much?
Because Raven had walked away.
Because Raven had chosen distance.
Because Raven was willing to face monsters alone rather than let Lyria near the truth.
And worst of all—
Because Lyria was terrified of losing her.
"I don't want her to disappear," she whispered into the empty room.
"I don't want her to leave me."
Her tears fell harder.
Outside, the palace lanterns flickered in the night breeze.
Inside, Lyria cried until exhaustion finally dragged her into restless sleep—Raven's name still on her lips.