Chapter 72
Chapter 72 A Round of Apologies
With one free hand she pointed toward the red fish and gestured urgently at Draven.
Draven frowned, confused. “What is it p>
Finished
Lyra shifted the crow to her other arm, pulled out paper and a pen from her pocket, and scribbled down a
note.
“Please say sorry to the red fish for me. I didn’t mean to snap at it, and I’m truly not angry. I only wanted to stop them from fighting.
“Also, thank it for stepping in and looking out for me. Tell it to get up off the floor p>
After reading the note, Draven hesitated. “I’m not sure if it’ll understand, but I’ll try talking to it p>
Lyra nodded hard, her gaze fixed hopefully on the red fish.
The crow seethed silently.
Try talking to it? As if it needs persuading to get up!
Two hypocrites twisting everything to suit themselves.
Before walking over with the note, Draven swept scattered glass shards aside with his tail.
Lyra’s heart skipped nervously watching him.
His tail made moving awkward; one misstep and he could cut himself on the broken fragments.
Down the corridor, Lucian turned toward his dhole with an amused smile.
“Learned something?
“Sulking quietly won’t get you any attention. The squeaky wheel gets the grease p>
The dhole’s downcast gaze flickered.
Earlier, Lyra had thought Draven’s tail looked stunning. Now it only seemed clumsy.
She kept a careful eye on him, terrified he would slip on the glass.
Draven knelt beside the red fish and spoke to it softly, then glanced back toward Lyra in the hallway.
Lyra never looked away.
Somehow grasping what Draven relayed, the red fish stirred.
It drifted slowly into the air and stared at her with a mournful, pleading look.
Lyra quickly held out her palm.
The fish resitated briefly before gliding down to rest lightly on her hand.
Thin trails of water pooled across her skin, like silent tears.
Lyra balanced the crow under one arm and stroked the fish’s head gently, her eyes heavy with remorse an
concern.
Encouraged, the red fish lifted its body and rubbed its snout against the base of her thumb.
Lyra’s heart softened.
Her sharp, stern expression from earlier had scared it terribly.
She set the red fish upon her right shoulder and wrote another note.
“I’m sorry, little fish. I wasn’t angry at you. I just hated seeing all of you fight. I apologize again for the misunderstanding.
“Thank you for helping me alongside the dhole. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow, okay p>
Draven took the note and read it.
He addressed his spirit animal in a mock-reasonable tone.
“Lyra didn’t mean any harm. Now that the misunderstanding’s cleared up, don’t keep carrying on.
“Learn from this. Stay calm next time, or you’ll get misjudged and end up in trouble again p>
Lyra laughed awkwardly.
She tightened her grip on the crow, which was already writhing, annoyed by Draven’s sarcasm.
1
The red fish shifted lightly against her neck. Its cool body brushed her skin repeatedly, like a shy child offering a quiet apology.
Lyra stroked it one more time, then held it out to return to Draven.
She pointed firmly at the broken glass scattered across the floor.
Draven glanced over his shoulder. “It’s fine. The cleaning robot will handle it p>
Lyra nodded, still uneasy, and jotted another line.
“Please stay careful anyway. Tiny shards might get missed p>
Draven smiled and took the red fish back. “I will p>
As it was transferred to its owner, the fish flicked its tail toward Lyra.
She waved back right away.
Then she pointed toward the room beyond the next one.
Choiples 72-A’Round of Apologies
Draven gave a gentle frod. “Go on, you’ve got work to do p>
When Lyra reached Lucian’s cell door, she heard low, persistent murmuring from inside.
“I told you she wasn’t upset. What are you hiding for p>
“Come out and listen to me p>
Lyra paused mid-step.
Finisher
She wondered silently. Three spirit animals started a fight, and somehow she ended up going door to door apologizing as if she was the one at fault.
Still confused, she tapped lightly on the cell door.
The dhole had retreated under the bed, and Lucian was crouched beside it, trying to coax it out.
He turned at the noise, and Lyra recognized that helpless expression instantly.
It looked exactly like Draven’s a moment before.
She gestured toward the bed with an awkward look.
“Is it upset too p>
Lucian nodded with a weary smile.
Lyra’s eyes widened in surprise.
She formed simple hand signs.
“You understand my signs p>
Lucian took a moment to register her question, then recovered.
“I pick up simple ones by watching and guessing p>
Lyra nodded, her attention drifting back to the dhole hiding underneath.
She pointed toward the bed.
“I’ve already explained things to it,” Lucian said. “I don’t know why it’s still moping p>
Lyra pointed to herself, signaling she wanted to speak with the dhole.
Lucian agreed.
He coaxed the dhole out into the open.
Seeing the large spirit animal droop its ears, clearly miserable, Lyra felt another rush of guilt.
She soothed it quietly for a while until the dhole’s snizite likad
She let out a quiet breath and pointed toward the hallway to signal she needed to get back to work.
Lucian nodded. “It’ll be right now. Off you go p>
Lyra waved goodbye to the dhole.
After checking the time on the wall, she hoisted the crow onto her shoulder and began gathering the empty meal trays.
The crow seethed.
Why did everyone else get apologies, but I skipped the whole process?
It pressed against her shoulder, indignant, letting out mournful caws, desperate for her attention.
Lyra glanced sideways, gave its head a quick, reassuring pat, and kept working.
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Lucia Morh
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.