21. Lara

21

LARA

M y eyes flutter open and the world around me blurs into focus. The weight of my body presses against the cold ground. Each limb is heavy and unresponsive. Above me, Aiden and Maya hover, their faces etched with worry. Their presence jars me back to reality.

They must have used herbs to knock me out. The bitter taste lingers at the back of my throat. It's a lasting remnant of their betrayal masked as concern.

Confusion seeps into my bones. It mingles with panic as the realization hits. They’ve managed to escape the cavern, dragging me along with them. Their craftiness surpasses my own convictions. How could they have outsmarted me?

The cavern's darkness, once comforting in its familiarity, now feels distant and elusive. Instead, I find myself surrounded by the stark whiteness of the winter forest. The cold air nips at my cheeks. It's sharp and unforgiving. Snow crunches underfoot as Aiden shifts his weight.

Zyrith’s face flashes in my mind. His deep-set eyes filled with a blend of protectiveness and longing brings a small smile to my face. The warmth of his touch still lingers on my skin. The thought of him lying unconscious amidst the ruins sends a deep pang through my heart.

I struggle to sit up, muscles protesting against the movement. My breaths come in short gasps as I try to steady myself. Each inhale draws in the crisp scent of pine and earth.

Aiden’s hand hovers near mine but doesn’t touch me. His jaw is set in that stubborn way it always is when he’s made up his mind about something.

Maya’s eyes meet mine briefly before she looks away, her expression torn between relief and guilt.

They don’t understand. They couldn’t possibly comprehend what I left behind in that cavern—the connection I forged with Zyrith amidst the darkness and solitude.

I take in our surroundings—a clearing framed by towering evergreens draped in snow. The world feels both vast and constricting at once.

Silent tears blur my vision as I wrestle with the conflicting emotions churning inside me—gratitude for their rescue mixed with a profound sense of loss for what I left behind.

"Aiden, Maya, please," I beg, my voice cracking under the weight of desperation. "You don’t understand. I need to go back to him."

Aiden’s brow furrows. “Lara, that was a monster back there. Have you lost your fucking mind?”

“He’s not!” I snap, my voice louder than intended. “He’s not what you think.”

Maya takes a step closer, her eyes pleading. “Lara, we were worried sick about you.”

“Worried?” A bitter laugh escapes my lips. “You don’t even know him.”

“We don’t need to,” Aiden retorts, his grip on my arm tightening as if I might bolt any second.

“Please,” I whisper, my voice softening into a plea. “He’s... he’s more than you can imagine.”

Aiden shakes his head, resolute. “We’re taking you home.”

Home? The word feels foreign now, a place that no longer holds meaning without Zyrith.

“You’re tearing me away from him,” I say, tears streaming down my cheeks.

Maya's expression hardens slightly as she steps closer to me. “We’re saving you from him.”

“No,” I say fiercely, yanking my arm from Aiden’s grip. “I love him.”

The words hang in the air like a bitter chill, freezing them both into silence for a moment before Aiden recovers.

“You’ve been bewitched,” he insists, grabbing me again.

“No!” I scream, thrashing against his hold. “This is real!

But their eyes glaze over with disbelief and pity. They see only a delusion or enchantment—not the love that binds Zyrith and me together in ways they’ll never understand.

They pull me through the snow-covered clearing as I fight every step of the way—each step taking me further from the life and love I found in those dark depths.

Each step feels like a betrayal—to Zyrith and to myself—but they won’t listen. Their minds are made up; their hearts closed off to the truth they cannot see.

My struggle against Aiden’s grip proves futile. His determination is a solid wall I cannot break through. My heart pounds, each beat echoing the desperation within me. I need to get back to Zyrith. I need to be with him.

We come to a halt near a small fire. Its flames flicker and cast shadows on the snow-covered ground. The air smells of burning wood, sharp and clean. My breaths come out in visible puffs and mingle with the smoke.

Aiden’s gaze hardens as he pulls a small flask from his satchel. “Lara, if you won’t believe us, then maybe this will make you see sense.”

My eyes narrow at the flask, curiosity and dread swirling within me. “What is that?”

“Water from Lake Lorembril,” Maya answers softly, her voice tinged with hope and sadness. “It reveals the truth. Aiden nabbed some the last time we visited the lake.”

My heart sinks at her words. The truth? What truth? That my love for Zyrith is real? That he’s not just some monster?

Aiden pours the water into a cup and hands it to me. The liquid is clear, almost deceptively innocent in appearance. My hand trembles as I take the cup. The weight of it is heavy with more than just water.

I stare into the cup. My reflection ripples on its surface. The cold bites at my fingers, but it’s nothing compared to the fear gnawing at my heart. What will this water reveal? That my feelings are true or that they’re some twisted bewitchment?

“Go on,” Aiden urges, his voice firm yet gentle. “Drink it. We want to know the truth.”

My throat tightens as I bring the cup closer to my lips. The scent of the water is clean, pure, untainted.

Tears blur my vision as I lower the cup slightly, looking at Aiden and Maya through a veil of sorrow. “You don’t understand,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “This isn’t just some enchantment. It’s the truth. I love him. Why are you guys treating me this way? I thought you were my friends!”

“Then prove it. Drink the water,” Aiden says softly but insistently, nodding towards the cup.

The weight of their expectations presses down on me like a physical force. My heart aches with the knowledge that whatever happens next will lay bare my deepest feelings for all to see.

My hand trembles again as I steel myself for what’s to come, knowing that once I take that drink, there will be no turning back.

With a deep breath, I lift the cup to my lips and drink. The water is cool, almost painfully so, as it slides down my throat. It courses through me like a river of clarity, washing away the fog of confusion. My heart pounds in anticipation of what might come next.

I close my eyes. I let the sensation flow through my veins, feeling the truth welling up inside me like an unstoppable tide. When I open them again, I see Aiden and Maya watching me with apprehension.

The words come unbidden, driven by an unshakable certainty. “I love him,” I say, my voice steady and unwavering. The simplicity of the statement belies the depth of emotion behind it. “Zyrith isn’t just some monster lurking in the dark.”

Memories flood my mind—Zyrith’s gentle presence, his deep voice soothing my fears, his protectiveness that never wavered.

“He’s... he’s more than that. He’s kind and caring in ways you can’t imagine.”

I look into Aiden’s eyes, seeing his skepticism but pushing past it with all the conviction I can muster.

“When I was trapped in those ruins, he kept me safe. He fed me, comforted me... he showed me a world beyond fear and isolation.”

The forest around us seems to fade as I focus on relaying every nuance of our bond.

“We shared stories, dreams... We connected in ways I never thought possible. He made me feel seen, understood.” Tears spill down my cheeks as I continue. “He’s given me something real, something profound.”

My hands tremble as I clutch the empty cup.

“I can’t sever that bond. It’s part of me now.” The air feels thick with the heaviness of my confession. “I know you think you’re saving me,” I whisper, my voice breaking slightly. “But what you’re doing is tearing me away from someone who has become my everything. I love him,” I repeat softly, more to myself than anyone else. “And nothing will change that.”

The revelation hangs heavy in the air, my words sinking into the silence like stones in a pond. I can see the disbelief etched into Aiden’s face, his eyes narrowing as he struggles to reconcile my confession with his perception of Zyrith. Maya’s expression is softer, yet her brow furrows.

“You can’t be serious, Lara,” Aiden says, his voice tight with frustration. “He’s not human. He’s dangerous.”

I take a deep breath, steadying myself against the storm of emotions within me. “He’s more human than you think,” I reply, my voice steady but tinged with sorrow. “You didn’t see what I saw. You didn’t feel what I felt.”

Maya steps closer, her hand reaching out as if to bridge the gap between us. “Lara, we’re your friends. We want what’s best for you.”

“And you think tearing me away from him is what’s best?” I ask, my voice trembling with the weight of my emotions.

Aiden shakes his head, disbelief still clouding his features. “Lara, he’s a monster. How can you love something like that?”

The fire crackles beside us, its warmth a stark contrast to the chill in the air. The scent of burning wood mingles with the crispness of pine and soil, grounding me in this moment of raw vulnerability.

“You have to trust me,” I plead, looking into their eyes with all the sincerity I can muster. “Zyrith is more than what you see on the surface. He has a heart—a heart that loves and yearns just like ours.”

Maya’s eyes soften slightly, but Aiden remains resolute, his grip on reality unyielding.

The silence stretches between us, heavy and fraught with unspoken emotions.