Noir
Chapter 61

Hours passed, each one dragging on as I anxiously waited. Finally, the sound of the key turning in the lock echoed through the silence, igniting a surge of anger within me. The grinding metallic click of the knob pierced through the air, intensifying my emotions. I knew it was Noir even before he entered. I could feel his presence in the mansion, a heavy weight on my senses.

Desperately trying to distract myself, I had been engrossed in a book on his dresser. However, his presence was too overwhelming, keeping me on the same page for what felt like an eternity. As the door swung open, Noir's towering figure filled the doorway, engulfed in shadows that clung to him like a cloak. His piercing gaze swept across the room, and when his eyes met mine, I couldn't bear to hold his stare. I looked away, unable to confront him. "Lyra, look at me," his demanding voice pierced through the air, making my heart race.

Taking a deep breath, the weight of the secret I now carried pressed down upon my chest, suffocating me. "You knew," I accused, my voice trembling with the force of my words. "You knew all along."

With measured and deliberate steps, Noir entered the room, his presence commanding attention. The door closed softly behind him, the click resonating in the stillness, amplifying the tension in the air. "Yes," he admitted, his voice low, filled with a mixture of remorse and determination.

The revelation hit me like a crashing tidal wave, emotions swirling within me - anger, betrayal, and fear entangled together. "Why didn't you tell me?" I demanded, my voice barely a whisper. "Why keep it a secret?"

Noir's gaze softened, and he took another step closer, bridging the distance between us. "I wanted to protect you," he replied. "The world wasn't ready for someone like you, and I feared what would happen if the covens found out." My eyes narrowed, a flicker of anger igniting within me. "Protect me?" I spat, my voice laced with bitterness. "Or use me?"

Undeterred, Noir took yet another step closer, his expression a tumultuous storm of emotions. "Never to use you," he said firmly. "But to ensure your survival. The power coursing through your veins is volatile. The covens would have seen you as a weapon to be wielded or a threat to be eliminated."

The room seemed to shrink, closing in around me as his words settled like a suffocating shroud. The truth of his words stung, piercing through my heart, but I couldn't deny the logic. The very essence of my existence was a catalyst for war, a living embodiment of a love that had once unleashed chaos. "And now?" I asked, my voice brittle, filled with uncertainty. "What happens now?"

Noir let out a heavy sigh, the tension in his shoulders palpable. I could see the worry etched on his face as he reached out, his fingertips grazing my cheek. I couldn't help but flinch away from his touch, the electricity in the air making me uneasy. "Now," he said, his eyes scanning mine, "we need to figure out our next move." My heart pounded in my chest, the rhythmic thumping echoing in my ears. As he stepped closer, his hand gently cupping my face, a shiver ran down my spine. His warm breath brushed against my skin, leaving a trace of familiarity. "I know this is overwhelming," he whispered, his words a comforting melody. "But I need you to trust me."

"Trust you?" I spat, my voice laced with bitterness. "That's all you ever ask of me. 'Trust me, Lyra'. Well, I've trusted you before, and you've only betrayed me. So, no, I won't trust you."

He paused, his hand hovering in the empty space between us. Then, with a shrug, he sneered, "Then you'll serve me until you do."

"I will never trust you, nor will I serve you, Noir," I declared, my voice unwavering despite the fire raging within me.

His

eyes narrowed, the warmth in them fading into an icy determination. "Oh, but you will, Lyra. By the time I'm finished with you, you'll beg to serve me."

A chill ran down my spine at his words, but I stood my ground, never breaking eye contact. "Never," I repeated, my voice growing stronger. "I'd rather die than be your plaything."

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, his eyes gleaming with a challenge. "So be it," he growled, his voice low and menacing. "But remember this: I won't let you go. You're too valuable to me, to us. Eventually, you'll see the truth and willingly embrace your destiny."

With that, he turned on his heel and strode out of the room, leaving me trembling with a mix of anger and fear. The door slammed shut behind him, the sound reverberating through the walls. I sank onto the edge of the bed, my mind racing as I tried to put the pieces of my life together. The book lay forgotten on the floor, its pages fluttering slightly as if protesting the emotional storm that had just swept through the room. The air felt cold and I longed for the warmth of an embrace, a kind word, anything to counteract the venom Noir had spewed at me.

I felt a gentle, tickling sensation as Sylvia lightly scratched my shoulder, her delicate legs brushing against my skin. In that moment, an overwhelming sense of joy washed over me at the sight of the spider's presence. Softly, I whispered Sylvia's name, my voice trembling as I took a shaky breath. "What lies ahead for me? What path should I take?"