Lyra’s heart beat fast, her chest hurt, it burned, deep inside, like fire and ice at the same time. She tried to breathe but the pain made it hard. Her hands shook, her legs shook, she did not understand why it hurt so much.

Around her, the war was chaos, brutal. Wolves were shifting, their teeth breaking bones. Soldiers screamed, swords clashed. The sound was so loud it made Lyra’s ears ring. She could feel it in her bones, shaking her from the inside. She wanted to run, to hide, to curl ...