Chapter 10: Whispers in the Dark
506words
Under the moonlight, the Silver Fern in the garden emitted a faint glow. Lyra cautiously looked around, making sure she wasn't being followed.
"You came." Mira stepped out from the shadows, "I wasn't sure if you would believe my note."
Lyra asked straightforwardly: "You know that I've been reborn, right?"
Mira nodded: "I suspected it. Your eyes have changed, and your behavior is different. More importantly, your wariness toward Karen—in your previous life, you had no guard against him."
"Tell me the truth." Lyra demanded, "What exactly happened in my previous life?"
Mira took a deep breath: "Your memories were tampered with. It wasn't Rayne who betrayed you, but Karen and your sister Eileen who orchestrated everything. They used the chaos of the blood moon ritual to make you believe Rayne wanted to kill you."
Lyra felt dizzy: "Why?"
"Power." Mira whispered, "The inheritance rights of the Greyson Family. Rayne is the sole heir, and you, as his Luna, possess equal power. Karen has always coveted this position, while Irene... she was jealous of you becoming Luna."
Lyra recalled the memory fragments brought by the medicinal tea: "So that night at the Training Camp..."
"It was Irene who told you Rayne wanted to kill you. She led you to escape, straight into Karen's trap." Mira said painfully, "When Rayne discovered you were missing, he immediately went to find you, but it was too late."
Lyra's heart raced: "The scar on Rayne's wrist..."
Mira nodded: "It was left when he tried to save you. He formed a Blood Covenant oath with you using his own blood, hoping to pull you back from the edge of death. But you still... died. And he didn't survive either due to his severe injuries."
Lyra felt tears welling up: "The Blood Covenant oath... is this why I could be reborn?"
"I think so," said Mira. "The Blood Covenant oath, under the power of the laurel, created a miracle. Your souls were permanently connected, giving you a chance to start over."
Lyra was silent for a moment, digesting this information: "Why do you know so much?"
Mira smiled bitterly: "Because I was the only witness. I saw everything, but was powerless to stop it. Karen knows I know the truth, so she's been watching me. I didn't dare tell you directly, I could only help you recover your memories through the medicinal tea."
Footsteps sounded in the distance, and Mira glanced nervously: "Someone's coming. We can't be found together. Remember, don't trust Karen and Erin, protect yourself and Rayne. They won't give up."
She quickly disappeared into the darkness, leaving Lyra standing alone in the moonlight, the target of her revenge completely changed.
Not Rayne, but Karen and Erin. Not revenge, but protection.
Lyra clenched her fists, determined to find out more truth, to protect Rayne in this life, and to prevent the tragedy from happening again.
