Chapter 31: Lyra plan
Naia ran through the corridor, tears streaming down her face as the realization of Eren’s departure overwhelmed her. "MOTHER!" Her cry echoed off the palace walls, the anguish in her voice causing a nearby servant to pause and look toward the source of the distress.
Before she could call out again, a hand shot out from an alcove, grabbing her wrist with unexpected strength. Another moment and she was pulled into the shadows, a palm pressed firmly against her mouth, silencing her cries. Naia struggled against the grip until she recognized Lyra’s face in the dim light.
"Be quiet," Lyra whispered, her voice barely audible. "The walls have ears." She slowly removed her hand from Naia’s mouth, eyes scanning the corridor where the curious servant still lingered.
"Eren is gone," Naia choked out, her voice breaking. She tried to speak further, to explain the devastating contents of the letter, but fresh tears overwhelmed her.
Lyra’s eyes fell to the parchment clutched in Naia’s trembling hand. With careful movements, she took the letter and unfolded it, her expression darkening as she read Eren’s words.
"So it’s true," Lyra murmured, refolding the parchment with deliberate precision. "She actually left a letter."
Naia stared at her in confusion, tears still flowing freely down her cheeks. "You... you knew?" The realization dawned slowly through her grief. "How could you possibly know?"
"I’ve suspected for days," Lyra replied, her voice low and cautious. She glanced past Naia to where the servant had finally moved on. "Eren has been watching the guard rotations, testing boundaries. I noticed the changes in her behavior after our conversation about the prophecy."
"But that doesn’t explain how you knew she’d actually gone," Naia pressed, wiping tears from her face with the back of her hand.
Lyra’s expression shifted subtly. "After Eren confronted me about the prophecy, one of the kitchen servants came to me with information. She had overheard Eren in her chambers that very morning, making plans for departure. I didn’t believe it at first, but the servant was insistent. She said her only reward for giving this information would be to find Eren together with me." A flash of regret crossed her face. "This same servant saw Eren preparing supplies last night. I should have acted then, but I wanted to be certain of her intentions."
"And you didn’t think to tell me?" Naia’s grief was giving way to anger now. "I could have stopped her!"