SWNOVELS Chapter 8
They walked in companionable silence for a time, the forest growing denser around them. Lyra noticed that the mist seemed to part before Fenris, as if the very woods recognized him as one of their own. Finally, they came to a halt before a massive oak tree, its trunk easily the width of a small house.
Fenris placed his hand on the gnarled bark, murmuring words in a language Lyra didn’t recognize. To her amazement, a section of the trunk shimmered and faded, revealing a hidden entrance. “After you,” Fenris said, gesturing for her to enter.
Lyra hesitated for just a moment before stepping through the opening. She found herself in a cozy, circular space hollowed out within the tree. Roots formed natural shelves along the walls, holding an assortment of books, herbs, and curious artifacts. A small fire burned in a central pit, filling the space with warmth and flickering light.
“It’s beautiful,” Lyra breathed, turning to take in every detail. “How did you find this place?”
Fenris entered behind her, the entrance sealing itself once more. “I didn’t find it so much as it found me. The Whispering Woods have a way of providing sanctuary to those who truly need it.” He settled himself on a root that curved to form a natural bench. “Now, tell me about this prophecy of yours.”
Lyra took a seat across from him, her fingers absently tracing the outline of the grimoire in her pack. “It speaks of a coming darkness, a time when the barriers between worlds will weaken to the point of breaking. If we don’t act, creatures of nightmare will pour into our realm, bringing chaos and destruction.”
Fenris leaned forward, his expression grave. “And you believe this prophecy is genuine?”
Lyra nodded. “I do. I was visited by a being who claimed to be its guardian. She confirmed its authenticity and… and she said that I might be the one chosen to prevent the coming darkness.”
“A heavy burden,” Fenris observed. “But what does this have to do with werewolves? Why seek out one of my kind?”
“The prophecy speaks of an alliance between a witch and one who walks between two worlds,” Lyra explained. “I believe it’s referring to a werewolf someone who exists in both the human and animal realms. Without this alliance, there’s no hope of gathering the artifacts needed to seal the barriers and prevent the apocalypse.”
Fenris was silent for a long moment, his amber eyes studying Lyra intently. “And you think I’m this werewolf? The one meant to form this alliance with you?”
Lyra met his gaze steadily. “I don’t know. But I do know that you saved my life out there, even before you knew who I was or why I had come. That has to mean something.”
A wry smile tugged at Fenris’s lips. “Perhaps. Or perhaps I simply have a habit of leaping into danger without thinking.” His expression grew serious once more. “This is no small thing you’re asking, Lyra. If what you say is true, we’d be taking on a monumental task- -one that could very well get us both killed.”
“I know,” Lyra said softly. “And I wouldn’t ask if I had any other choice. But the signs are already appearing. The blood moon has risen, the barriers grow weaker by the day. Those shadow wolves—they’re just the beginning. If we don’t act soon, it will be too late.”
Fenris stood, pacing the small space. Lyra could almost see the internal struggle playing out behind his eyes. Finally, he turned to face her. “I’ve spent years running from my past, from the responsibilities I left behind when I abandoned my pack. Part of me wants to keep running, to tell you to find another werewolf to help you on this fool’s errand.” He paused, a flicker of something-determination? resignation?— crossing his features. “But I can’t. Whether by fate or chance, our paths have crossed. And I won’t turn my back on the world when it needs me most.”
Relief and gratitude washed over Lyra. She stood, facing Fenris. “Thank you,” she said simply, knowing that no words could truly express the weight of what he was agreeing to.
Fenris nodded, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Don’t thank me yet. We still have to figure out how to save the world, after all.” He gestured to her pack. “Now, why don’t you show me this grimoire of yours? If we’re going to form an alliance, we might as well start by understanding exactly what we’re up against.”
As Lyra retrieved the ancient book, a sense of rightness settled over her. For the first time since discovering the prophecy, she felt a glimmer of hope. Together, perhaps they stood a chance of averting the coming darkness.
The unlikely pair bent over the grimoire, its pages illuminated by firelight. As they began to decipher its cryptic passages, neither Lyra nor Fenris could shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of a journey that would test them in ways they could scarcely imagine. The fate of the world now rested in the hands of a lone witch and a solitary werewolf an alliance foretold by prophecy, forged in the heart of the Whispering Woods.