Red String {EDITING}

Chapter Nine | Tracking Frost

"It's simple really," Georgia said, gesturing to each of the thirteen trays as she finished up her explanation. "You just need to sort everything depending on the symbol. Then it'll be sent through to be deciphered in the other room." She folded her arms, leaning back against the desk stacked with files upon files for her to sort. "This is your lot for today," she continued, pointing to all the files there. "I'll be buried behind them working on my own work, but feel free to ask any questions. That's what I'm here for."

"Alright," Lyra mumbled, tying back her untamed red locks as best she could. She spared a glance at Georgia's silky straight carrot-coloured ones, feeling a surge of jealousy all of a sudden. What she wouldn't give to have slightly more tameable hair... Humming under her breath, Lyra smiled. Her worries were completely different to what they had been a few days ago. It was oddly terrifying how quickly her life had changed.

It could change back just as quickly.

She prayed it didn't. Though she supposed she had more allies on her side this time around, as well as someone who might look for her if she vanished. Her gaze drifted over towards where Arrow's office was supposedly located. Silently, she wondered what Rylan was doing, mulling over whether his job was harder. Most likely, yes, given the simplicity of her task. She just needed to sort things, while he was busy leading everyone.

Lyra stared down at the document, quickly finding the three seemingly inconsequential dots arranged in a triangle. Her eyes snapped over to the tray, quickly finding the corresponding pattern. Then she was on to the next document just as quickly. It was oddly mind-numbing, the task given to her, but Lyra completed it with gusto. She had a job there, so she'd do it. There was no room for complaining. Anything was better than being stuck with those rogues who'd tormented her.

A ring of a phone startled her out of the daze she'd fallen into. She glanced over, finally able to see Georgia thanks to the amount of files she had sort in the – she looked at the clock on the wall above – last two hours. "Lyra." The sound of her name had her snapping to attention. Georgia stared at her, brown eyes unblinking. "You're needed in Arrow's office."

"Where?" She blinked.

Georgia nodded, having expected the question. "Back to where I first met you, then follow the corridor. His office has his name on the door."

"Right," Lyra said, hurrying out of the room. It was almost ingrained in her – the compulsion to follow orders. "The door with his name on it..." she mumbled, trekking through the corridor, swallowing harshly at the sound of her footsteps against the carpet floor. They sounded noisier than usual, the sound of her heartbeat echoing in her ears. Why had she been called to his office? Lyra hoped she hadn't done anything wrong already.

The door was impossible to miss, the metallic silver lettering standing out against the polished black paint. His namesake underlined the words, and it would point in towards his office as soon as she opened the door. Like a sign pointing her to her doom. Swallowing, she twisted the handle, sticking her head into the room.

"You asked to see me?" she inquired, stiffening when she realised neither Arrow or Rylan were alone anymore. When they had arrived, Lyra had no clue. There had been no fuss as far as she had heard, and there really should have been for those of their status.

Elders. The previous group of alphas. The only living ones, thanks to the unrest during the time of the generation of alphas before them. That was about as much as she knew about the history of their kind. Her lessons on anatomy and the like hadn't allowed time for history to squeeze its way in there.

There were two of them, one of hair of the blackest night, the other with hair like snow. Like frost. Lyra shuddered, pushing away the thoughts. The echoing sound of his laughter.