LYRA

The silence after the power surge felt worse than the chaos itself.

No one moved.

No one breathed.

The silver glow fading from the walls left behind a heavy stillness that pressed against my skin like something alive.

And every eye in the chamber remained fixed on me.

Fear.

I recognized it immediately.

Not from the prisoners.

From our side.

The patrol wolves standing near Kael looked pale beneath the torchlight, their expressions caught somewhere between confusion and alarm.

Good.

At ...