The Radiants Chronicons : Vol. I & II Of The Radiants Duology Series

Defiant (Vol. II) - Chapter eleven

Chapter eleven
I rubbed Lyra's back, as she sobbed in my arms."It's okay if you don't want to talk about it. No one's asking you to."

Lyra wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry if I'm crying so much. I've just been holding it in for so long, it feels like it's about to burst open. Seeing Odell again, makes it harder and harder to hold it in. The guilt is killing me."

Laurena ran her fingers down her blonde hair, which stuck out through each contact. "I can read the fear and pain in your face. I'm so sorry you feel responsible for her death."

Lyra looked between our faces. "I think it's time I told the truth. Odell deserves to know too."

"You want to do it now?"

Lyra nodded. "Yes, in front of our Clandestine people. Especially Odell and Evelyn."

I squeezed her hand softly. "I'll go gather everyone up."

....
Ignoring the confused looks on everyone's faces, Lyra began. "As most of you know, I have the gift of sight. It's oddly unique, and it ran through my family line for generations. I'm the first radiant in my family line and my RR gene altered some of my abilities as a sight seer, making it a lot deeper than I imagined.
  One day, I saw Odell and Feyi shouting at each other, but she angrily walked away from him. She walked past me on my way back to her room. Our hands brushed each other, and I saw a vision. In the vision, Feyi was pacing around furiously in her room, then took a pair of scissors and went out to warn Odell never to say that again. In the process of the scuffle, she stabs Odell with it, and he bleeds out dying. Out of shock, I quickly ran to her room, to stop her, and I told her what i saw. Everything I saw. I wish I didn't. I wish I just convinced her to calm down, instead of telling her that she murdered the man she loved, in my vision. She just nodded and told me that she'll be good. I left, feeling like I solved a problem, but I had no idea that I made things worse. Five minutes later, news spread that she hung herself. I'm so sorry, everyone."

I walked over to her, and pulled her into a hug. Feyi killed herself because Lyra's vision foretold of her hurting Odell, a man she loved. She wanted to avoid that and ended up doing something drastic.

Odell stepped forward, with tears welled up in his eyes.

Lyra sniffed. "I should have been honest from the scratch. I just—"

Odell gave her a small hug, and Lyra blinked in surprise. "Thank you for saving my life."

"But she died in the process. That wasn't my—"

"It doesn't change the fact that everything that happened would have still happened, because I said those unfair things to her."

Lyra shook her head. "It's not entirely your fault. Something troubled you that day. Something drastic that could change the course of everything, and the fear of what took place, made you unknowingly angry."

Odell gaped. "How did you know abo—"

"I'm a seer, remember. Past and future." I had no idea what they were talking about, but it seemed that something made him upset, prior to when Feyi went to meet him, and he ended up taking it out on her. I wondered what made him so upset. It had to be something that frustrated the hell out of him and yet, he couldn't speak about it.

"I'm still grateful that you kept me alive, even though you had no idea it would lead to her end. I'm sorry you had to keep it to yourself all these while. I know how that's like. You can't blame yourself, you know that."

"I wish that was true."

"I'm serious. People are going to look for an easy target, you have to let yourself rise above that. She was mentally unstable. I wish we could have helped her, but it's too late for regrets. That's why I had to leave, to give myself the chance to start anew with my new family. Give yourself that chance too." Odell said wistfully.

Lyra mumbled. "Thank you."

Odell nodded. "Always my pleasure. If no one forgives you, that's their problem. You have to learn to forgive yourself first. Or everyday would end up being harder than the next."

He turned to glance at Levi, who only gave him a blank look.

Evelyn took Lyra's hand. "You should take a rest. You need it."

Lyra blinked, then said. "Go and talk to Laurena. It's time."

Evelyn jerked back, but then she nodded in realization. "Thank you."

I left them to their discussion, and walked over to Levi. His face softened, when he saw me. "You okay?"

He gave a lopsided smile. "Why wouldn't I be?"

I raised my head to look at him. His disheveled look wasn't a good look on him. "Are you and Odell ever going to have that talk?"

Levi admitted. "I'm afraid of what I might find out."

I wanted to squeeze his hand, and tell him everything's okay, but I couldn't do that anymore. I was his friend, who also needed to respect his boundary, so instead I just retorted. "It might also be the key to saving our friends."

"Or maybe it won't. Odell is a lot stronger than I am, but what he found out made him leave. What would it do to someone like me? How can I handle it?"

Ignoring the red flags in my head, I interlaced my hands with his. He looked at me softly, but didn't say anything. "I'll be right by your side through it all. I promise."

He muttered. "I should have told you about having a brother. I just needed to shut him out after wh—"

"I'm used to you keeping secrets from me. You're a Caden. Your family's motto is literally 'trust no one, but each other', so I'm not expecting you to tell me your deepest darkest fears or secrets."

"How did you know our motto?"

"Zuri told me once. She hated it. The feeling of trusting only her family, and no one else. It made her feel so alone in this world." I admitted.

"I trust you. I just don't know how to open up to you. I never needed to open up to anyone before." Raising his head to lock his beautiful pair of eyes with mine, I felt something churn within me.

I only managed to give a shrug. "We're just friends now, so it's okay. Just remember, if you ever need anything, I'm here for you. Always."

He repeated slowly. "Always."