Chapter 3
Chapter 3 A Man–and–Dog Concerto
La steadied her racing heart and forced herself to calm down before heading up the stairs.
The crashing kicks and heavy slams against metal doors grew far louder on the second floor, mixed with savage, enraged roars that belonged to wild beasts.
Lyra froze in place, her pulse hamitiering hard in her chest.
She debated waiting for the Sentinel inside to cool off before dropping off his supplies.
Without warning, all the noise from the cell cut off dead.
First came a loud snuffling sound, just like a dog tracking a stranger’s scent.
BANG!
The iron cell door crashed inward from a brutal kick. letting out a shrill, ear–splitting shriek.
“Quit playing dead and get your ass over here p>
The sudden roar jolted Lyra hard.
BANG BANG BANG!
When she didn’t respond, the man inside slammed the door even harder.
“I’m talking to you! Get over here now p>
A voice drifted up from a lower cell, sharp with irritation. “Cut the racket, Rook. Can’t you keep it down p>
Rook Carter from Cell 201 stopped beating on his door and yelled down toward the first floor. “Who the hell’s butt–in‘ my business?
“Wait till I get outta here–I’ll tear you limb from limb p>
The voice downstairs didn’t bother firing back at the hotheaded brute, and Lyra seized the chance to get his supplies ready and slide them through the delivery slot.
In an instant, SLAP!
The whole tray came flying straight back out at her feet.
“What even is this garbage? Talk to me p>
Lyra stumbled backward, narrowly avoiding getting hit.
A hyena poked its large, round head out through the small window, its gaze dark and hostile.
Rook had expected the usual gruff attendant he’d dealt with before, not this fragile, skittish new girl who looked easy to push around.
“Where’s the last one?” he snapped.
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Chapter 3 A Man–and–Dog Concerto
Lyra stared blankly at the glowering hyena spirit animal, caught off guard by the question.
It took her a second to realize he was asking about the previous cell block attendant.
She pulled out a slip of paper and a pen to write her answer down.
Watching her through his hyena’s eyes, Rook’s impatience spiked instantly.
“Why’re you scribbling nonsense when I asked you a direct question p>
Lyra’s hands flew across the paper faster, then she carefully held the note up to the slot.
Kyren, locked in Cell 102, leaned lazily against his cell wall. At this, his lashes moved slightly.
Lyra was stuck in an awkward standoff.
The hyena didn’t pull its head back one inch, baring sharp fangs at her in a clear show of its host’s anger a her “not answering p>
After a beat of hesitation, Lyra signed slowly to explain herself.
“Sorry, I cannot speak p>
Rook’s brows shot up in mocking amusement. “Whoa, hold on–you’re mute p>
His tone dripped with teasing disrespect that made Lyra’s chest ache, and she dropped her gaze to the floor.
Rook had a booming, unfiltered voice, and every Sentinel within earshot fell quiet at the revelation- especially Arthur Wells in Cell 101.
Arthur had misunderstood her earlier, and guilt pricked him now that he knew she couldn’t verbalize a single word.
He frowned softly, setting aside the book he’d been reading.
Lyra held the written note out once more.
“Keep that thing far away from me,” Rook snarled. “I’m not reading it p>
He saw nothing rude about pointing out her disability outright.
In his mind, every person fell into one of two categories: people he wanted to fight now, and people he’d want to fight later.
Nervous but determined, Lyra tucked the note away, picked the spilled supplies up off the ground, refolded everything neatly, and tried sliding the tray through again.
The hyena stopped snarling, but its glare stayed sharp and unfriendly.
“I don’t want this junk!” Rook roared. “I wanna go outside! Who was it that ran his mouth earlier? Bring him to me–I’ll rip that mutt’s head clean off its shoulders p>
He slammed his boot against the metal door over and over as he shouted.
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Chapter 3 A Man–and–Dog Concerto
Lyra stepped back and waved her hands to say she couldn’t do what he demanded, then signed that outdoor
creation required official paperwork and supervisor approval first.
Rook couldn’t decipher a single sign she made, his temper fraying further.
“What’re you flailing your hands about? Can I go out or not p>
Lyra nodded.
“Then open this d*mn door!” he demanded.
Lyra couldn’t explain the long security protocol without speaking, so she pressed her lips pgether and shook her head.
Opening his cell was out of the question right now.
“Sh*t!” Rook exploded. The hyena bared its fangs and let out a low, threatening growl.
“You said I could go, then you backtrack. You messing with me on purpose p>
Lyra waved her hands frantically to deny it.
A smooth, lazy voice floated over from the neighboring Cell 202 to bail her out.
“Recreation needs a supervisor’s sign–off and full floor clearance first. She’s only a junior attendant–she doesn’t have that authority. Maybe you oughta swap brains with your spirit animal, Rook p>
From the voice, it was the person called Draven from earlier.
Lyra nodded hard to back up the explanation; that was exactly how things worked.
Enraged by the jab calling him dumber than his own hyena, Rook slammed his fists hard against the dividing wall and unleashed a stream of crude, vulgar insults.
Lyra crinkled her brows at the endless foul language. The man was unbelievably coarse and quick to anger.
The hyena caught her disapproving frown, and Rook roared straight at her through the slot. “What’re you staring at? Mind your own business p>
Lyra shook her head so fast it blurred, terrified that her strange new troubles in this alien star system would somehow bring harm to her family back home.
“She’s probably just never seen such a foul–mouthed genius before. Naturally, she’s curious. ”
Draven’s warm, amused tone carried over the wall, untouched by Rook’s screaming.
“Did you grow up surrounded by nothing but loud, crude types, Rook? That’d explain a lot p>
So he had never been to school. No wonder he would not read her notes.
His teasing held the same cutting bite as Rook’s insults, yet Draven delivered it with effortless polish, no ugly slurs spilling out of his mouth.
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Chapter 3 A Man–and–Dog Concerto
He shot every one of Rook’s raging insults right back at him in calm, playful banter.
Robk flew into a fresh fit of rage. The hyena pulled its head back from the window, and man and hyena alike screamed and snarled curses through the separating wall.
Lyra hurried to slide the metal delivery window shut, cutting the volume of their shouting in half.
Rook spun back toward the outer hallway and kicked the door hard. “Hey! Who told you to close that? Open it back up p>
Draven sighed leisurely from his cell, a faint smile in his voice.
“Haven’t heard such a passionate man–and–dog concerto in ages p>
A small smile tugged at Lyra’s lips at the line.
She slid open Draven’s cell window, and a pale, delicate, handsome face waited on the other side.
Lyra’s breath caught the second she laid eyes on him.
He was breathtakingly beautiful.
Fine, curved crimson scales framed each of his almond eyes, glowing bright as polished rubies, paired with soft, ocean–blue irises that looked warm as still lake water.
He looked every bit the beguiling fae straight out of old star–world legends.
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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.