The Beast Forest

Lyra had decided three things about the journey.

First, the carriage was uncomfortable.

Second, Lady Seraphine was being suspiciously nice.

Third, she absolutely hated surprises.

Especially when the surprise involved being dragged halfway across the kingdom.

The carriage rattled along a winding road.

Outside, forests rolled past like endless green waves.

Villages appeared and disappeared.

Mountains rose in the distance.

The scenery was beautiful.

Normally Lyra would have been glued to the window.

Today, something felt wrong.

Very wrong.

Across from her sat Lady Seraphine.

Perfect posture.

Perfect dress.

Perfect smile.

The smile bothered Lyra most.

Nobody smiled that much without a reason.

Especially not Seraphine.

The woman usually looked at Lyra the way people looked at mud on expensive shoes.

Yet for two whole days she hadn't insulted her once.

That was terrifying.

"Are we there yet?"

Lyra asked.

"No."

"Now?"

"No."

"How about now?"

Seraphine slowly looked up from her book.

"Lyra."

"Yes?"

"Stop."

Lyra smiled.

Success.

At least somebody was suffering with her.

The Forest Appears

Late on the third day, the landscape changed.

The trees grew larger.

Older.

Darker.

The cheerful forests they had passed before disappeared.

In their place stood giants.

Ancient trees whose branches seemed to scrape the sky.

Sunlight struggled to reach the ground.

Shadows stretched between roots thicker than houses.

The air itself felt different.

Alive.

Lyra pressed her face against the carriage window.

For the first time all day, excitement replaced suspicion.

"What forest is that?"

Nobody answered.

Lyra frowned.

A servant looked away.

Another suddenly found his boots fascinating.

The knot in her stomach tightened.

Then she recognized it.

Every child in Elaria knew the stories.

The Beast Forest.

Her excitement vanished instantly.

"Oh."

Nobody spoke.

That was answer enough.

The Beast Forest wasn't simply dangerous.

It was legendary.

Stories claimed dragons nested within its mountains.

Ancient spirits wandered beneath its trees.

Creatures older than kingdoms slept in forgotten ruins.

Many adventurers entered.

Few returned.

Lyra slowly turned toward Seraphine.

"Why are we here?"

The woman smiled.

And suddenly Lyra understood.

Not everything.

Not yet.

But enough.

Enough to make her heart sink.

The End of the Road

The carriage stopped.

Silence settled over the forest.

No birds sang.

No insects buzzed.

Everything felt watchful.

Like the forest itself was observing them.

Waiting.

Lyra climbed down from the carriage.

Cold wind brushed against her face.

Huge trees surrounded them on all sides.

The road ended here.

Beyond it stretched endless wilderness.

Nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

The servants looked miserable.

One looked ready to cry.

The knot in Lyra's stomach became something heavier.

Something terrifying.

She turned toward Seraphine.

"Why are we here?"

This time her voice sounded smaller.

More fragile.

The answer never came.

Instead, Seraphine stepped back toward the carriage.

One step.

Then another.

And suddenly Lyra understood everything.

"No."

The word escaped before she could stop it.

"No."

The servants lowered their eyes.

Nobody looked at her.

Nobody.

"You're leaving me here."

Silence.

The worst answer of all.

Lyra felt something crack inside her chest.

Not loudly.

Not dramatically.

Just enough.

Enough to hurt.

She looked at the servants.

People she had known her entire life.

Nobody met her gaze.

She looked at the coachman.

Nothing.

Finally she looked at Seraphine.

"Why?"

For a moment the woman simply stared.

Then her expression hardened.

Cold.

Cruel.

Honest.

"Because nobody wants a useless child."

The words hit harder than any slap.

For a second Lyra couldn't breathe.

She couldn't think.

Couldn't move.

The world seemed to tilt beneath her feet.

Then the carriage door closed.

The horses turned.

And just like that...

They left.

Lyra stood frozen.

Watching.

Waiting.

Surely someone would stop.

Someone would come back.

Surely.

The carriage became smaller.

Smaller.

Smaller.

Then disappeared.

Gone.

Just like that.

Alone

For a long time Lyra simply stood there.

The road felt empty.

The forest felt enormous.

And she felt very small.

The wind rustled the leaves overhead.

A branch creaked somewhere in the distance.

The world continued moving.

As though nothing had happened.

Lyra hated that.

How dare the world continue?

How dare the trees stand there peacefully?

How dare the sky remain blue?

Her family had abandoned her.

The world should have the decency to look upset about it.

Instead...

Nothing.

Tears burned behind her eyes.

She blinked them away.

Then blinked again.

Stupid tears.

They refused to listen.

Finally, anger arrived.

Glorious.

Wonderful.

Reliable anger.

Anger she understood.

Lyra kicked a rock.

Hard.

The rock bounced across the road.

Hit a tree.

The tree growled.

Lyra froze.

"..."

The tree growled again.

Very slowly, Lyra raised her head.

Two glowing eyes stared back from the bark.

"...Sorry."

The tree blinked.

Then went back to sleep.

Lyra decided not to question it.

The Wolf

The sun was beginning to set.

Shadows stretched between the trees.

The forest grew darker.

Quieter.

Then came the growl.

Deep.

Heavy.

Close.

Very close.

Lyra turned slowly.

A gigantic silver wolf stepped from the shadows.

Calling it a wolf felt inaccurate.

Houses were smaller.

The beast's silver fur shimmered beneath the fading sunlight.

Its eyes glowed like frozen stars.

The creature stared directly at her.

Lyra swallowed.

The wolf stared.

She stared back.

The wolf growled.

Lyra pointed at it.

"You know what?"

The wolf blinked.

"If you're going to eat me..."

The beast tilted its head.

"...just do it quickly."

The wolf froze.

"So far today I've been called useless..."

Tilt.

"Abandoned by my family..."

Tilt.

"And stranded in a forest full of monsters."

Tilt.

"Honestly, I don't have the energy for dramatic deaths."

The wolf sat down.

"What?"

The wolf continued staring.

"Are you judging me?"

The beast somehow looked like it was judging her.

"Rude."

A laugh echoed through the forest.

A real laugh.

Warm.

Unexpected.

Lyra spun around.

A man stood among the trees.

Tall.

Dark-haired.

Golden-eyed.

He looked around thirty-five.

And yet...

Something about him felt ancient.

Like the forest knew him.

Like the trees themselves recognized his presence.

Most importantly—

He was laughing.

At her.

"What's so funny?"

Lyra demanded.

The stranger looked at the wolf.

Then at her.

Then back at the wolf.

"I've known him for nearly three hundred years."

Lyra blinked.

"What?"

"That's the first time anyone has called him rude."

The wolf looked offended.

"See?"

Lyra pointed.

"He's doing it again."

The man laughed harder.

And for the first time since the carriage left...

A tiny smile tugged at the corner of Lyra's mouth.

She didn't know it yet.

But the worst day of her life had just become the beginning of a new one.

And Orion, the immortal who valued peace and quiet above all else, was about to make the biggest mistake of his very long life.

Because he was about to take Lyra home.

End of Chapter 3 🌙✨📖

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