STARLIGHT UNBOUND by Deus Ex Machina - HTML preview
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STARLIGHT UNBOUND
The room somehow felt smaller now that Lucien was gone. It’s as if he fills more space than his physical form.
The others had dispersed – Harun retreating to his maps and plans, and Corin leaning against the far wall, his expression dark.
But Lyra couldn’t move. Her eyes drifted to the murals on the walls, the jagged lines and swirling colors that mirrored the chaos inside her. The starburst seemed to pulse, its edges sharp and alive. What am I doing?
She closed her eyes, the memory of Lucien standing in front of her painting flashing in her mind. The way he ’d stared at it, as though it had pulled something out of him that he didn ’t even know was there. He felt it. I know
he did. But is that enough?
Her fingers tightened against the edge of the table, her breath unsteady.
Corin drew his attention to Lyra. “You’re taking a hell of a risk, Lyra.”
She opened her eyes, turning to face him. His sharp gaze was fixed on her, his tone calm but edged with frustration. “I know.”
“Do you? Because right now, it looks like you’re letting a Bureau loyalist waltz right into our plans. ”
“He’s not loyal. Not anymore.”
“You don’t know that. He says he wants the truth, but what happens when he realizes what the truth costs? People like him don ’t stick around when things get hard, Lyra.”
“People like him? Or people like you?”
The room went silent. Corin’s expression hardened, but he didn’t respond.
Lyra turned away. “I’m not asking you to trust him, Corin. I’m asking you to trust me.”
He didn’t respond right away. “Just don’t let your faith in him blind you to what’s at stake.”
***
Later that night, Lyra returned to her hidden studio, the familiar scent of paint and old wood wrapping around her like a familiar embrace. The space was dark, except for the incandescent glow of a single lamp —a fragile beacon in the surrounding shadows.
She shrugged off her coat, letting it fall onto a worn chair before moving toward the easel. Her breath catching in her throat as her eyes settled on the unfinished painting of the house.
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