Chapter 231 — Reunion

Chapter 231: Chapter 231 — Reunion

Chapter 231 — Reunion

Lyra dashed through the hallway.

The scent was getting stronger.

She was close.

She could feel it.

She turned another corner and saw a set of double doors at the far end of the hall. The moment she spotted them, she picked up her pace.

The scent grew stronger with every step.

By the time she reached the doors, there was no longer any doubt.

Her parents had been here.

And if Lyra was right, they were somewhere on the other side.

She carefully pulled one of the doors open, making sure not to create any unnecessary noise, then slipped through.

Another hallway stretched out before her.

Unlike the rest of the mansion, this section was far simpler. The polished decorations and expensive furnishings were gone. Plain doors lined both sides of the hall, one after another.

The slave quarters.

This had to be where the maids, butlers, and other slaves living inside the mansion stayed.

Lyra lifted her nose again.

The scent was incredibly strong now.

Her heart beat faster.

She passed one door.

Then another.

Finally, she stopped in front of a room on her left.

Everything inside her seemed to go still.

They’re here.

For years, she had wondered.

And now only a single door stood between them.

Lyra slowly reached for the handle and opened it.

Inside, Valkor’s eyes opened instantly.

He sat up.

Nothing appeared to be there.

But then his nose twitched.

Valkor froze.

There was another scent in the room.

A Shadow Fox.

Not Sierra.

Not himself.

Someone else.

His heart skipped a beat.

For a moment, he couldn’t understand what he was smelling. There shouldn’t have been another Shadow Fox anywhere near this place.

Then he remembered the human from earlier.

Victor.

The strange boy who had somehow known their real names.

The boy who claimed he knew their daughter.

Lyra.

But that didn’t make sense.

Victor had said he would get them out.

There was no reason Lyra herself would be here.

Valkor slowly rose from the bed, staring into the seemingly empty room.

"Lyra?"

The door quietly closed.

Then the shadows shifted.

Lyra appeared.

The moment Shadow Walk disappeared, tears welled in her eyes.

Her father was standing only a few feet away.

After all these years.

After everything she’d gone through.

After wondering whether her parents were even alive.

He was right there.

Older than she remembered.

Tired.

A slave bracelet wrapped around his wrist.

But alive.

"Father..."

Valkor moved before she could say anything else.

He crossed the room and pulled his daughter into his arms.

Lyra nearly lost her balance from the force of the embrace.

Valkor held her tightly, one arm wrapped around her back while the other pressed against the back of her head. He kissed her forehead and pulled her even closer, as if loosening his grip might somehow make her disappear.

Lyra’s tears finally fell.

For a moment, she was a child again.

The years apart disappeared.

The Sanctuary disappeared.

The Graveborn estate disappeared.

There was only her father’s embrace.

The sudden movement woke Sierra.

She stirred in the bed, confused as she opened her eyes.

"What—"

She stopped.

Her husband was standing in the middle of the room, holding someone.

Sierra blinked.

Then her eyes widened.

The sleep disappeared from her face.

"Lyra...?"

Lyra turned her head.

"Mother."

Tears immediately filled Sierra’s eyes.

She flew out of bed and rushed toward them.

A moment later, all three were holding each other.

Lyra cried against her father’s chest while Sierra wrapped both arms around her daughter, refusing to let go.

Valkor didn’t say anything.

He simply held them.

Tighter.

For the first time in years, their family was together again.

For those few minutes, nothing else mattered.

Several minutes passed before Valkor finally pulled back enough to look at his daughter.

His eyes moved over her face as if he still couldn’t completely believe she was standing in front of him.

"Lyra..."

A small smile appeared on his face.

"You’ve become so beautiful."

Lyra wiped at her eyes.

Valkor’s smile faded slightly.

"I’m sorry we had to leave you."

Lyra immediately shook her head.

"Don’t bother. It wasn’t your fault."

She looked at both of them.

"I remember that day as clearly as if it happened yesterday. You did what you had to do to keep me safe."

Sierra still hadn’t managed to say much.

She simply held onto Lyra, tears running down her face.

Seeing her mother crying only made Lyra’s eyes water again.

Valkor studied his daughter for another moment before his expression changed.

"Wait."

He looked at her head, then behind her.

"What happened to your ears and tail?"

Lyra laughed through her tears.

"I’m wearing an artifact. It hides them so people don’t suspect I’m a Shadow Fox."

Valkor nodded slowly.

Then something seemed to click.

His expression immediately became serious.

"Wait. What are you doing here?"

Lyra looked at him.

"I’m here to save you."

Valkor frowned.

"But your human friend—"

"Victor."

The moment his name left her mouth, Lyra’s expression soured slightly.

Valkor noticed.

"He said he was going to help us get out of here."

"That doesn’t matter now," Lyra said. "I’m here. We’re going to get you out right now."

Valkor’s expression changed.

"We can’t."

Lyra stared at him.

Valkor raised his arm and showed her the slave bracelet around his wrist.

"If we leave this residence, we die."

Lyra went silent.

The joy in the room vanished almost instantly.

"I’m happy you’re here," Valkor continued. "More than you could ever understand. But you need to go."

His voice became firm.

"Now."

"Father—"

"No."

Valkor stepped closer.

"If they catch you here, they’ll put a slave collar on you too. However you got inside this place, use the same method and get back out."

Lyra shook her head.

"I can’t. I need to get both of you out of here."

"I love you, Lyra."

Valkor placed a hand on her shoulder.

"And I’m glad you’re here. But you need to listen to me."

Sierra finally pulled away from her daughter.

"Your father is right."

Her eyes were still red from crying, but her expression had become serious.

"You need to leave."

"Mother—"

"This isn’t the reunion we need."

Sierra took Lyra’s hands.

"Not yet."

Her fingers tightened around Lyra’s.

For a moment, none of them moved.

Then Valkor glanced toward the door.

"Please, Lyra."

Both of her parents were practically pushing her toward it now.

"Please," Lyra said. "You have to come with me."

"Lyra, you’re not listening," Valkor said. "We can’t go with you. Not until these bracelets and collars are removed."

He raised his wrist again.

"Until that happens, there’s nothing we can do."

His eyes hardened.

"So go."

Lyra stood there.

She understood.

Deep down, she’d understood the entire time.

Something inside her had simply refused to accept it.

She’d spent so many years wanting this moment that once her parents were finally standing in front of her, all she could think about was getting them out.

She wanted them to follow her.

She wanted to leave this estate with both of them and never look back.

But she couldn’t.

Victor had been right.

Coming here had been a stupid decision.

She hadn’t listened to him. She’d entered one of the most dangerous estates in the Tower without a real plan, hoping Shadow Walk would somehow be enough to solve everything.

It wasn’t.

Still...

Lyra looked at her parents.

For all the risks she’d taken, she’d seen them again.

They were alive.

She had felt her father’s arms around her.

She had heard her mother say her name.

And for that alone, a part of her couldn’t completely regret coming.

Lyra took a breath.

"Okay."

She turned toward the door.

"I’ll go."

Her parents visibly relaxed.

Lyra reached for the handle, already preparing to activate Shadow Walk.

Before she could touch it—

The handle moved.

Lyra froze.

The door slowly opened on its own.

A figure stood on the other side.

The warmth that had filled the small room disappeared.

Lyra’s heart dropped.

The man stared inside.

At Valkor.

At Sierra.

And finally, at Lyra.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"What do we have here?"

Nobody moved.

The hallway behind him was silent.

Too silent.

"I had a feeling something was wrong. The guards reported sensing a strange presence near the entrance."

His smile widened slightly.

"Then we find a maid unconscious in the library."

His gaze settled on Lyra.

"And lo and behold, our mysterious intruder turns up in the slave quarters."

Lyra’s body tensed.

Behind her, Valkor moved closer to Sierra.

The man shook his head.

"What exactly would you be doing down here?"

He stepped forward.

Lyra instinctively took a step back.

"No matter."

His expression hardened.

"We’ll get to the bottom of it."

The doorway was completely blocked.

Behind Lyra were the parents she had spent years searching for.

In front of her stood the consequence of coming to find them.

"Nobody sneaks into the Graveborn estate and gets away with it."