The Black Petal clung to Lyra’s palm.
Pain instantly spread through her entire body. She screamed and fell to her knees. Black veins emerged from her palm, then crawled up her arm.
“Elian!”
Elian ran toward her, but his body suddenly stopped. The black line across his chest glowed. He clutched his head and dropped to his knees on the floor.
“Don’t come any closer!” the black-eyed young man shouted.
Lyra looked at him with difficulty. “What’s happening?”
“The petal is unlocking your memories.”
“I don’t have memories like Elian does.”
The young man gave a faint smile. “That’s exactly why your memories are more dangerous.”
The glass walls around them began to change. The shards of glass scattered across the floor turned into mirrors. In every mirror, Lyra saw a different face.
A little girl. A girl dressed in white. A woman wearing a red crown.
Lyra clutched her head. The images forced their way into her mind without permission.
She saw a vast room. In the center stood a stone bowl. Inside it lay black flower petals.
A young woman stood beside the bowl.
The woman had Lyra’s face.
But she wore royal clothing.
“Your Majesty,” said a guard. “The final petal is ready.”
The woman nodded. “Bring the prince to me.”
Lyra flinched.
“No,” she whispered. “That isn’t me.”
The mirror before her trembled. The image changed.
Elian was brought into the room with his hands bound. His face was covered in wounds. Behind him, Queen Olyndra walked calmly.
The woman who looked like Lyra stood before them.
“Elian,” she said, “you’ve failed.”
Elian raised his face. “Lyra will stop you.”
The woman laughed.
“I am Lyra.”
Lyra’s heart seemed to stop.
She saw Elian stare at the woman in fear. Not because they looked alike, but because he knew her.
“Queen,” Elian said softly.
The woman raised her hand. The Black Petal flew from the bowl and entered Elian’s chest.
Elian screamed.
At the same moment, the real Lyra appeared behind the door. She ran in, carrying a small knife.
“Don’t touch him!”
Queen Olyndra turned. “At last, you’ve come, my daughter.”
Lyra fell into a seated position.
My daughter?
The vision broke apart. She returned to the glass room, breathing rapidly.
Elian was already standing in front of her. His face was pale.
“What did you see?” he asked.
Lyra couldn’t answer.
Queen Olyndra appeared behind the largest mirror. Her face was clearly visible, as though she were standing right beside them.
“Now you remember,” she said.
“I’m not your daughter,” Lyra replied.
“You don’t remember because I took your memories from you.”
“Why?”
“Because memory is a weapon. And you are the finest weapon we have ever created.”
Elian raised his sword. “What do you mean?”
The queen looked at him.
“Lyra isn’t an ordinary memory-flower seller. She is the guardian of the Black Petal. She was born to erase someone’s memories without leaving a trace.”
Lyra looked at her own hands. “I’ve never erased anyone’s memories.”
“Really?”
Another mirror lit up.
Lyra saw a village burning. People ran in every direction. They called out the names of their parents and children, but didn’t recognize one another.
In the middle of the village, Lyra stood holding the Black Petal.
Beside her, Elian held her hand.
“We have to go,” Elian said in the vision.
Lyra shook her head. “They’ll remember everything if I leave.”
“If you stay here, you’ll die.”
“Then let me.”
Elian pulled her away.
The vision shattered.
Lyra stared at Elian. “I did that?”
Elian didn’t answer. He gazed at the mirror, breathing heavily.
The black-eyed young man gave a quiet laugh. “That’s not all. You’re also the one who made me exist.”
“Shut up!” Elian shouted.
The black line across his chest widened. The young man’s shadow began to emerge from Elian’s body like smoke.
Elian fell. His body trembled.
Lyra immediately grabbed his hand.
“Don’t come out,” she said to the shadow.
The black-eyed young man turned toward her. “Are you afraid?”
“I’m afraid Elian will die.”
“If I come out, he’ll be free.”
“Free from what?”
“From all the pain you’ve caused him.”
Lyra fell silent.
The shadow pointed at the petal in her hand.
“You erased his memories over and over. Every time he tried to remember the truth, you made him forget you.”
“That’s impossible.”
Elian opened his eyes. He stared at Lyra in confusion.
“Who are you?” he asked.
The question hurt more than any curse.
Lyra held back her tears. “I’m Lyra.”
Elian shook his head. “I don’t know you.”
Queen Olyndra smiled from behind the mirror.
“See? The memory has already begun to take effect.”
Lyra clenched her hand. The Black Petal in her palm pulsed.
Suddenly, she heard another voice from inside the petal.
The voice of a little girl.
“Don’t trust the queen.”
Lyra froze. The voice sounded exactly like her own.
“Who are you?” she whispered.
The voice answered,
“I am the real Lyra.”
Every mirror shattered.
Dozens of Lyra’s shadows emerged from the shards of glass. Some were crying, some were angry, and some were smiling.
One of the shadows walked closer.
It looked at Lyra, then said,
“And you are the stolen memory.”
Elian stood in front of Lyra and raised his sword.
“Don’t touch her.”
For the first time, the black-eyed young man looked afraid.
“Don’t let her remember everything,” he said.
Lyra looked at Elian.
“Why?”
The young man slowly backed away.
“Because if you remember who you are, you’ll become the person who kills the prince.”
In Lyra’s hand, the Black Petal opened into a flower.
At its center was a drop of blood.
And that blood did not belong to Elian.
The blood belonged to Lyra.