Seraphine’s Promise
The glow of the relic pulsed steadily as Seraphine cradled it in her hands, her expression serene yet unreadable. The crimson light danced across her sharp features, giving her an otherworldly appearance that unnerved everyone in the room.
“This artifact is far too dangerous for anyone else to handle,” Seraphine said, her voice calm but firm. “You’ve been through enough. Let me carry this burden.”
Eryon’s wolf stirred uneasily at her words, a deep, primal instinct warning him that something wasn’t right. He exchanged a glance with Lyra, whose silver eyes mirrored his unease.
“If you’re really our mother,” Eryon began, his voice low and measured, “why now? Why wait until this moment to appear?”
Seraphine’s silver eyes shimmered with what appeared to be genuine emotion. She stepped closer to the twins, her tone softening. “Do you think I wanted to wait? I was taken from you. Betrayed. Locked away in a place where time itself unraveled.”
Her hand brushed over the scar on her abdomen, and her voice broke. “I fought through worlds, endured horrors you can’t imagine—all to find you. To bring you back to where you belong.”
Lyra felt her resolve waver, her heart tugged by the emotion in Seraphine’s words. But something about her mother’s perfect timing gnawed at her.
Adrian, standing off to the side, crossed his arms. His crimson eyes glinted with distrust as he watched the interaction unfold. “And we’re just supposed to take you at your word?” he asked, his voice sharp.
Seraphine’s gaze shifted to him, her expression turning cold. “Your doubt doesn’t concern me, boy. What matters is that my children know the truth.”
Adrian’s lips pressed into a thin line, but he said nothing more.
The relic’s glow intensified suddenly, its pulsing light quickening as if responding to Seraphine’s presence. The air in the room thickened, a strange, humming energy radiating from the artifact.
Lyra took a step back, her wolf growling faintly beneath her skin. “What’s happening?” she demanded, her voice tight.
Adrian’s grip tightened on the hilt of his blade as he moved closer to Lyra. “We need to leave. Now,” he said, his voice low but urgent.
Seraphine’s expression didn’t falter as she held the relic closer. “It’s under control,” she said, though her eyes glinted with something unreadable. “Trust me, my children. I’ll keep you safe.”
