Chapter 2
Chapter 2 Those Eyes Belong in a Sealed Glass Jar
La froze for a beat.
Jessa had told her before starting her shift that every Sentinel locked up in Black Spire came from separate combat divisions.
Some had been close comrades out on the battlefield, while others carried bitter, lifelong rivalries that turned them into sworn enemies.
To stop their toxic hatred from spiking each other’s psychic contamination, their cells were spaced far apart from one another.
Lyra felt equal parts fear and helplessness at Kyren’s petty, spiteful jab.
Her gaze locked on the venomous serpent slithering its body further out of the service slot.
Training had drilled into her that spirit animals could never stray too far from their Sentinel hosts, yet her nerves still screamed alarm.
The snake’s vivid coloring screamed lethal danger.
Instinctively, Lyra’s hands flew through quick sign language, “Don’t be angry. I’m dropping off supplies, then I’m leaving p>
At the sight of her frantic gestures, the cold–eyed serpent froze mid–movement.
Kyren studied her properly through the snake’s shared senses for the first time.
She was tiny and slight, barely old enough to look like a legal adult.
Short, sleek hair framed a small oval face, paired with huge, clear eyes that shone pure and untainted.
Tension lined every inch of her face as her hands kept rushing through silent signs.
Kyren couldn’t understand a single gesture, yet curiosity pricked at him all the same.
They’d sent someone who couldn’t even speak to tend to them?
A dark, malicious thought crossed his mind.
She wouldn’t even be able to scream for help if something went wrong in here.
The black–and–orange snake retreated back into the cell without warning.
Lyra quickly signed her gratitude.
She scanned the slot warily to confirm the serpent was gone, then slid the stack of fresh clothes and her handwritten note through the opening.
The snake’s body coiled around the items and dragged them inward in an instant.
As Kyren read the slip of paper, a low, unreadable chuckle rumbled out of the cell, edged with terrifying.
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Chapter 2 Those Eyes Belong in a Sealed Glass Jar
casual cruelty.
bything I need?
“I need you to drag Draven Voss over here tied up, so I can peel his skin off layer by layer p>
Lyra had no clue who Draven was, but she inmediately shook her head hard to refuse the gruesome
request.
That warm, amused voice from upstairs cut through the air again.
“Kyren, you’re still just as vicious as ever p>
Now she knew.
Kyren’s lips curled into a sharp, cold smirk, his tone slow and icy. “For you, that’s exactly how I should be
“My, how terrifying,” the voice from above sighed, calm and unbothered, before falling silent entirely.
Lyra refocused on the service window.
“Just go. You can’t give me what I want anyway p>
Stung by the cold dismissal, Lyra slid the metal slot shut and rolled her cart toward the next cell.
Inside Kyren’s spacious, empty confinement room, sunlight streamed through a square ceiling skylight, catching his pale, sharp jawline as he slouched lazily against the concrete wall.
His high, straight nose split the light, half his handsome face swallowed in deep shadow.
Kyren rested one elbow on his knee, lids half–lidded as his dark red eyes lingered over the scrap of paper between his fingertips.
“Hello, is there anything else you need p>
A mocking sneer tugged at his mouth.
Some fool who’d get taken advantage of and still thank the ones hurting her.
Lyra arrived at Cell 103, still shaken from her run–in with Kyren.
The second she unlocked the service slot, she stepped backward at once.
She set folded laundry and her note onto the plastic tray,/double–checked no hostile spirit animal lingered in sight, then pushed the whole tray through the gap.
To her surprise, the Sentinel inside had been waiting directly by the opening, and he spoke up to thank her politely.
His voice was deep, rich, and smooth.
Lyra blinked, awkwardly waved her hand in response, then dropped her arm when she remembered the
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Chapter 2 Those Eyes Belong in a Sealed Glass Jar
window only reached his chest–he couldn’t see her gesture.
Qe calloused, rough hand reached out to grab the clothes. He read the note carefully, then slid the paper back out to her.
“Thanks. I don’t need anything extra right now p>
A flicker of shadow across the window told her he’d turned and stepped away from the door.
Lyra stared after the slot, thoroughly surprised by his gentle demeanor.
From that point on, aside from Kyren in 102, the rest of the Sentinels had gruff personalities at worst, but none made any effort to scare or tease her.
Lyra grew more comfortable with her routine as the shift wore on, her nerves easing little by little–until she reached the final cell on the first floor: Cell 120.
She unlocked the slot and pushed the laundry and note through.
Before she could pull her hand back, something soft brushed lightly across the back of her wrist.
A hoarse, sickly sweet male voice purred from inside the cell.
“Such soft, delicate skin p>
The strange light touch sent a chill crawling up Lyra’s spine.
She yanked her hand back in a panic.
The supply tray slipped from her grasp and clattered against the concrete floor, and her wrist slammed hard against the metal edge of the window frame.
Ignoring the sharp ache, Lyra stared wide–eyed at the slot.
A deathly pale hand stretched out from the darkness, bulging blue veins winding visibly beneath its skin.
“Ooh, you hit yourself. Let me see–if that starts bleeding… what a waste that’d be p>
Lyra’s eyes went wide. What did he mean, a waste if she bled?
The Sentinel of Cell 120 hunched forward, pale, lake–bright eyes glinting with obvious fascination as they traced every detail of her face through the narrow slot, then drifted slowly down to her red, bruised wrist.
His gaze weighed heavily on her, thrumming with an eerie hungry excitement.
Lyra swore she could feel a cold serpent slithering across every spot his eyes touched, every hair on her body standing straight on end.
Seeing how thoroughly terrified she was, Felix Montague pulled his hand back, dark, handsome features twisted with amusement.
“A fresh young girl, huh? Young ones are always my favorite p>
Lyra’s features went rigid.
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Chapter 2 Those Eyes Belong in a Sealed Glass Jar
He wore a smile and spoke in an easy, casual tone, yet something about him felt fundamentally off; every
e he spoke was layered with unsettling hidden meaning.
She didn’t respond, and Felix kept staring, unblinking, locked on her clear eyes.
“Little miss, your eyes are stunning.
“They’d look perfect preserved in a clean, clear glass jar, just for me to admire forever p>
There was no telling if he meant it as a twisted joke or a genuine threat, but his words sent a wave of revulsion rolling over her.
Thankfully, several of the coherent Sentinels nearby called out warnings to Lyra, telling her to ignore the creep and just slide her deliveries through without engaging.
Felix pouted when he heard them label him a creep.
Beneath Felix’s burning, unwavering stare, Lyra bent to retrieve the scattered laundry and paper from the floor.
She neatly restacked everything, then slowly pushed the tray back toward the slot.
When Felix reached out to take it, he gave his arm a sharp tug, trying to haul her closer through the gap.
Lyra let go of the tray just in time to yank herself free.
The stunt only amused him. He leaned forward, ready to speak.
“You p>
SLAM.
The metal service window slammed shut faster than he could finish the word, narrowly missing smashing his nose.
Felix froze for a split second, then chuckled at the memory of her terrified wide eyes.
He glanced down beside his feet, where a jet–black crow perched silently.
The bird had been the one to brush its wing against Lyra’s wrist a moment prior.
Their contact had only lasted a split second, yet the strange, indescribable sensation lingered vividly in his mind.
Felix turned to his spirit animal.
“Did you feel that too p>
The crow rolled its eyes at him, as if mocking his obvious question.
Felix narrowed his gaze.
So he hadn’t imagined that odd, soothing pull.
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Chapter 2 Those Eyes Belong in a Sealed Glass Jar
He lifted his eyes toward the bright light filtering through the cell’s window, a lazy grin spreading across his
This new attendant was far more entertaining than the last one.
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Olivia Harris is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy novels. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.