Page 207 of Bound By Crimson
Without looking at Lyric, she said:
“I knew your mother… Eden.”
Lyric’s heart stuttered.
She fought the urge to look up too fast. Fought to stay limp. Small.
Bernarda crossed the room, picked up her bundle of soiled linens—and almost casually reached into her pocket.
She set the items on the nightstand:
A sealed protein bar.
A small bag of crackers.
And a yogurt. All sealed.
“They’re in the packages. Can’t be tampered with.”
No smile. No kindness.
Just a cold warning hidden inside a gesture of mercy.
Bernarda lifted Lyric again—slightly gentler this time—and settled her back onto the bed.
Before leaving, she paused.
“Hide the wrappers in your pillowcase. I’ll take them tomorrow and replace them with whatever I can.”
A pause. Her voice low but firm.
“Don’t give up. Your mother didn’t.”
The door clicked softly behind her.
Lyric sat there for a long time, staring at the food.
Her hands were shaking.
Not from fear.
Not from exhaustion.
From something dangerously close to hope.
Bernarda?
Why her? Why now?
Should I trust her? Did she really know Eden?
Did she help her too?
Her stomach growled—savage and real.
Her fingers moved without permission, tearing open the protein bar’s plastic wrapper.
The sweetness hit her tongue.
