LYRA

The moment I stepped out of Lucian’s room, the weight came crashing back.

Inside, with him awake, breathing, looking at me like he wasn’t slipping away anymore, the bond had settled into something almost steady. Not calm, not peaceful, but… anchored.

Out here?

Everything felt off again.

Not broken.

Just… watched.

I paused in the corridor, my hand still resting on the door for a second longer than necessary. My chest tightened, the faintest flicker of unease curling low in my ...