Chapter 28
Elyra stormed into her room and slammed the heavy oak door shut behind her.
Bang!
The sharp concussion rattled the hallway walls. A heartbeat later, the brass lock clicked firmly into place. It was a tiny sound, yet it fell like a guillotine blade, severing her from the rest of the world.
Her breath came in ragged, uneven bursts, her chest constricting with a chaotic tangle of emotions she refused to name—anger, disappointment, frustration... and a deeper, more fragile panic she adamantly rejected.
For several seconds, she stood frozen, glaring at the wood grain. Then her trembling knees finally buckled, and she slid down until she sat in a heap on the floor, pulling her knees tightly against her chest. The room was deathly quiet. Too quiet.
Damn you, Damnern...
The bitter thought throbbed inside her head. If this keeps up, I will always be a liability.
The terrifying refrain looped relentlessly—again, and again, and again—hurting worse than any physical wound.
This is the first time he has ever denied me...
A heavy, aching void hollowed out her chest. Memories of Ferwel Noxes's ruthless lectures surfaced unbidden in the dark.
"Do not ever become useless, Ryudien... This world has no pity for the weak."
The cruel golden eyes of her past master stared down at her from the shadows.
Does Damnern no longer care for me...?
The thought materialized without warning, cold and sharp. Elyra caught her breath, her eyes widening in horror at her own inner betrayal. Without her permission, hot moisture pricked the corners of her eyes, and a solitary tear spilled over her lashes, tracing a wet line down her cheek.
The heat of the tear startled her. She viciously swiped at it with the back of her sleeve.
"What on earth am I even thinking?" Her voice was a cracked, fragile whisper. "Crying again?"
Self-loathing surged upward like acid. Useless body! I hate this pathetic flesh!
The silent scream tore through her mind as her small fingers clawed into the fabric of her dress. Gradually, her breathing leveled out—the raw fury ebbed, the tears dried—but the leaden weight in her ribs remained.
Even without his permission... I will train on my own. No matter what it takes.
She bowed her head, curtains of blonde hair falling forward to cast shadows across her eyes, burying her expression from the empty room. Dark memories bled into the silence—the brutal, uncompromising existence of Ryudien: freezing isolation cells, gnawing hunger, bruises that never faded, and the quiet, crushing realization that nobody would shed a tear if he simply vanished. A world where survival was currency, and affection was a luxury reserved for others. Elyra clenched her fists, burying those ghosts back into the deepest vault of her soul.
Then—
Knock.Knock.Knock.
"Elyra, open the door, please," Elina's gentle voice drifted through the wood.
"I don't want to!"
The defiant refusal flew from her lips before she could filter it, the sharp, defensive snap echoing in the confined space.
Elyra blinked, startled by her own vehemence. Outside, a stunned silence hung in the corridor for a beat, followed by a hesitant voice.
"Uhm... but this is my room," Eldern pointed out, sounding genuinely perplexed. "Eldern needs to go inside and take a bath..."
Elina let out a soft, helpless sigh. "Just leave her be for tonight. She will come out when she is ready." A brief pause followed. "I will have Gabnor fetch you some new clothes tomorrow, Eldern."
"...Okay."
Their soft footsteps slowly dissolved down the hallway, leaving Elyra wrapped in isolation once more. She buried her face back into her knees, a sharp pang of remorse finally piercing her armor.
That evening, the grand dining hall blazed beneath a magnificent crystal chandelier. Hundreds of faceted prisms caught the amber firelight, casting cascading golden patterns across the polished marble flooring. The long dining table was laden with fine porcelain, gleaming silverware, and the rich, mouth-watering aroma of creamy root vegetable soup, herb-roasted venison, and freshly baked bread.
Elina and Eldern were already seated in quiet anticipation.
"Rina, please go check on Elyra," Elina instructed softly.
"Yes, Countess." The maid curtsied before gliding up the grand staircase.
Stopping outside Eldern's chambers, Rina knocked lightly. "Young Lady! Dinner is ready."
Inside, Elyra stirred from a heavy, emotionally exhausted slumber. The deep drain of the day's stress had dragged her into an accidental sleep. Her heavy eyelids fluttered open, but she remained silent.
"The Count is not home," Rina added gently.
Elyra froze. A heavy second ticked by. Then, the latch clicked, and the door creaked open a sliver.
"...Weally?" Her voice was a tentative, hopeful squeak.
Rina nodded with a soft smile. "Really."
Only then did Elyra slip out into the corridor, allowing the maid to take her small hand. "Come. Let's eat."
As they walked down the stairs in silence, Elyra stared fixedly at the Persian rug.
"Big Sistew Wina..." she murmured.
"Yes, Young Lady?"
"Wewe did he go?"
Rina didn't need to ask who 'he' referred to. "I am not entirely sure," the maid replied softly. "I heard he rode out toward the border forests and hasn't returned yet."
Elyra dipped her chin, her lower lip tightening. Neither of them spoke another word.
Moments later, she was seated at the table. The instant the warm food touched her palate, she realized how ravenous she truly was, her spoon moving with surprising efficiency.
Her gaze flicked across the table to meet Elina's.
"Feeling a bit better?" Elina asked, her eyes kind.
Elyra hesitated, offering a small, subdued nod. I'm sorry, Mama... A wave of guilt washed over her for snapping earlier. Swallowing a spoonful of soup, she decided to overcompensate. "Dis is delishous, Big Sistew Wina!"
The maid blinked in surprise before a radiant smile bloomed on her face. Elina mirrored her, visibly relieved that her daughter's spirits were recovering.
Emboldened by the praise, Rina reached over to affectionately pinch Elyra's cheek—a liberty she would never dare attempt if Damnern's intimidating shadow were looming overhead.
"Oh my, aren't you just sweet today, Young Lady?"
Elyra puffed out her cheeks in mock protest, though she didn't pull away, drawing a genuine laugh from both Elina and Rina.
Elina gracefully stood from her chair. "Rina, take Elyra for a warm bath as soon as she finishes. I am retiring to our chambers for the evening."
"Yes, Countess."
Elina looked down at her son. "And Eldern, choose a short fable tonight. Nothing overly long or complex for her age."
Eldern nodded solemnly, puffing his chest. "I will! I'll pick a really fun one!"
I'm fine with anything anyway, Elyra thought, returning to her meal.
Elina offered a final, fond sigh. "And do not keep her up if she grows drowsy. Elyra pushed herself too hard today."
Eldern snapped a crisp, imaginary salute, his expression deadly serious as though accepting a classified royal mandate. "Understood!"
Midnight descended over the estate.
Pale moonlight spilled silently through the tall bedroom windows, casting silver lattice patterns across the bedsheets. Elyra shifted restlessly beneath the heavy blankets as a deep, throbbing ache flared through her calves and thighs—the cumulative muscle fatigue from her grueling morning run finally catching up with her nervous system.
"Ow..." She winced, biting her lip. "It huwts..."
The sharp discomfort snapped her fully awake. She eased herself upright into a sitting position. The room was dark and peaceful, with Elina sleeping soundly beside her.
Damnern's side of the mattress remained empty and cold.
Elyra stared at the vacant indentation on the pillows, a faint frown pulling at her mouth. Damn this useless, fragile body...
The lingering pain dragged old, dormant memories from the darkest corners of her psyche.
A sterile, gray-walled subterranean facility belonging to Noxes.Cold. Silent. Relentless.
Ten children, all hovering around nine years of age, crammed side-by-side on a freezing concrete slab. That was their dormitory. That was their sanctuary.
Ryudien remembered staring blankly at the stained concrete ceiling for hours on end while agonizing micro-tears burned through his muscles, clenching his teeth until his gums bled to suppress any sound, forcing his limbs to stay locked in place so he wouldn't disturb the others.
Back in the present, Elyra lowered her gaze to her small hands.
This pain... is nothing.
Compared to the hell she had clawed her way out of, this was a mere mosquito bite.
Quietly, she slid out from beneath the covers, her bare feet meeting the chilled wooden floorboards. The sudden drop in temperature helped clear the remaining fog from her brain. Seeking fresh air to settle her thoughts, she tiptoed toward the adjoining washroom, keeping her movements light and fluid.
As she slipped past the massive, floor-to-ceiling glass window overlooking the rear gardens, a strange anomaly outside arrested her attention.
Elyra stopped dead in her tracks.
Her sapphire eyes narrowed. Down below, bathed in the ethereal wash of the midnight moon, a solitary figure sitting alone motionless in the center of the vast training grounds.
To be Continued...