Chapter 6: Lyra of the Prick Family

Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Lyra of the Prick Family

Daniel stared at her. He didn’t mean to. He knew it was rude, especially since she couldn’t see him doing it. But he couldn’t help himself. She was beautiful in a way that felt almost unreal, like someone had sculpted her from a dream and forgotten to add any flaws. The black glasses framed her face perfectly, and her lips were curved in a soft, patient smile.

He stared for a long time. Then she spoke.

"How’s your stomach?" she asked. Her voice was soft and melodic, with a hint of amusement. "Sorry about the punch."

Daniel blinked, snapping out of his trance. "Oh, it’s nothing, my lady. I didn’t feel a thing." He puffed out his chest slightly, even though she couldn’t see it. "I have received worse."

She laughed. A small, genuine chuckle that made her whole face light up.

"Yeah, right," she said. "I might be blind, but am not deaf. If I remember correctly, it was something like... oh god, no coma, this pain, that."

Daniel felt his face heat up. "That’s not how I remember it."

Her smile widened. There was a playful glint in her voice when she spoke again. "You don’t know who I am, right?"

Daniel shook his head, then remembered she couldn’t see him. "Not really. Except that you’re the most beautiful girl I have ever seen."

The words left his mouth before his brain could stop them. It was instinct. A reflex honed by years of talking to women without thinking. He braced himself for the slap, the cold dismissal, the angry retort.

Instead, her cheeks turned red. A soft, pink blush spread across her face, and she ducked her head slightly, a small smile playing on her lips.

"You think am pretty?" she asked, her voice quieter now.

"The prettiest," Daniel said.

She was silent for a moment. Then she lifted her head, and the smile on her face was different. Warmer. More genuine.

"Thank you," she said. "Even if you don’t mean it, I am pleased." She straightened up in her seat, adjusting her glasses. "Since you don’t know who I am, let me introduce myself. I am Lyra of the Prick family. The third daughter—"

"Pfft."

Lyra stopped. Her head tilted slightly. "What’s so funny?"

Daniel tried to suppress the laugh, but it was already out. "Did you just say Prick?"

"Yes." Her tone was cautious now. "It seems you know my family’s status."

"What?" Daniel shook his head quickly. "No, it’s the name. Prick. It means something completely different in a particular country where I come from."

There was a pause. Then Lyra’s voice turned cold. "What are you talking about? Are you by chance insulting my family name?"

Daniel’s eyes widened. "What? No, no, no, no. I would ne—"

"Cause if it’s the case, I sure would like to join."

Daniel froze. "Huh? Why? Do you hate your family or something?"

Lyra was quiet for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice was softer. Smaller.

"Well... I just got abandoned by them. They said am too weak. That I should be like my siblings. So they are sending me to a small town to stay there, even if I can’t survive on my own."

Daniel stared at her. The playfulness was gone from her face. In its place was something raw. Something honest. He felt a pang of sympathy.

"Damn," he said quietly. "And I thought my parents were dicks." He paused, then a grin spread across his face. "Well, no wonder they are called Pricks. They are just a bag of pricks."

Lyra was silent for a second. Then she let out a laugh. A real one this time, bright and surprised.

"Oh, now I know what you mean," she said, her nose wrinkling slightly. "That’s disgusting."

Daniel was about to respond when a heavy knock came at the door of the carriage. Mac’s voice boomed through the wood.

"Alright, buckle up, kids. We’re about to move." There was a pause. Then his voice dropped, turning low and threatening. "And Daniel. If you touch her, am going to feed your dick to the dogs and make you watch."