Chapter 9
Orion stared at the woman—Sophia, she had called herself—as if she had grown a second head. Was this a joke?
"What do you an you don’t rember?" he demanded, a deep frown plastered on his face.
She swallowed nervously. "Exactly what I said. I don’t rember."
Orion waited for the telltale signs: the air being sucked from his lungs, the prickling sensation, the wave of nausea that always ca with a lie.
Nothing happened.
*Noctis?* he called to his wolf. Even Noctis felt nothing. It ant one of two things: either she was telling the truth, or she had found a way to bypass his ability.
Orion was inclined to believe the latter. There was no way she was telling the truth.
"If this is so kind of joke, it isn’t funny," he growled. "I’ll ask you again, and you better not lie or use tricks, because I will know. Who the fuck are you, where are you from, and what were you doing in that shrine?"
Sophia flinched. The nacing aura rolling off him pushed her further into the corner. It was a familiar feeling, and she instinctively moved into a defensive position, covering her head with her hands.
"I’m sorry. I’m sorry," she cried out.
Orion’s frown deepened. He didn’t understand her reaction at all. "What the hell? What are you apologizing for?"
She paused, peeking out from behind her arms. "You were going to hit ."
"Why the fuck would I do that?"
"I..." she swallowed. "I don’t know."
Orion made an irritated sound. "Is there anything you know? I asked you a question. I need an answer. Who are you?"
"My na is Sophia."
"I got that part," he snapped. "Answer the other questions."
"I don’t know. I really don’t know. I’m not lying to you," she sobbed.
Orion watched the tears stream down her face, and his heart gave a strange lurch. He hated seeing her like this. It stirred uncomfortable and unexplainable things inside him—like the need to pull her into his arms and console her. It was a disturbing thought, and one he was determined to ignore.
"I’m not going to hurt you," he said, his voice softer than he intended.
"Promise?" she asked, her voice small.
Orion’s jaw tightened, but he answered. "I promise. I just need you to answer truthfully."
"I’m not lying." She wiped the tears away with the back of her hand.
"But how is that possible?"
"I don’t know. I was hoping maybe you could tell who I was, but it seems you don’t know either."
Again, Orion waited for the physical reaction to a lie. Again, he got nothing.
"I’ll be back," he stated flatly, turning and marching out of the dical facility.
Morning had broken, and the pack was already buzzing with activity. He searched for Lysander, needing an explanation from soone more knowledgeable. He found him with Ronan, who imdiately gave him the stink eye.
"Running away from your work isn’t going to help, you know," Ronan said. "You’re just giving yourself more of a headache."
"A headache I’ll resolve in due ti," Orion replied, turning to Lysander. "She’s awake."
Ronan looked between them. "Who? Brynhild?"
"Of course Brynhild is awake, you idiot," Lysander replied with an eyeroll.
"Then who... oh. *That* woman?" Ronan’s eyes widened in realization.
"Yes."
"That’s good news," Ronan declared. "At least now she can tell us who she is."
Orion let out a heavy sigh. "That’s the issue. She claims she doesn’t know."
"How is that possible?" Ronan asked, his face a mask of confusion.
Orion turned to him. "Tell a lie."
"What?"
"Stop with the dumbass questions and just tell a lie."
"Um, okay. I hate you," Ronan said.
Imdiately, the air rushed out of Orion’s lungs. A sharp ringing pierced his ears as Noctis rolled over in pain, and a wave of nausea overtook him. It lasted only five seconds, but it was undeniable proof. So why was Sophia different?
He turned back to Ronan with a wide smile and crushed him in a bear hug.
"Glad to know you love , brother."
"Put down, you idiot," Ronan gasped out, earning a chuckle from Lysander.
Orion set him down, his expression instantly shifting back to business as he faced the healer.
"She isn’t lying about not rembering," Lysander stated, understanding exactly what Orion had just done.
Orion gave him a sharp nod.
"I’ll check on her," Lysander said, moving past them into the facility.
Orion and Ronan followed him. When they reached Sophia’s room, they found her brandishing the candlestick once more, pointing it threateningly at Lysander.
"I swear, if you co any closer, I’ll show you what I can do with this," she warned.
"I’m just trying to help you," Lysander said calmly.
"And I sll you lying," she retorted. "Just so you know, I have a demon on my side who can put you down in one swing. He’s huge, has brown eyes... and he was just here. He’ll be back soon."
Ronan’s shoulders started to shake with suppressed laughter. He turned to Orion, the sound alerting Sophia to their presence. She imdiately ran and hid behind Orion’s large fra.
"Help , Mr. Demon!"
Ronan burst out laughing. "Did she just call you a demon?"
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