Mira’s POV

Kael had been in the war room alone for a while before I arrived. A look at his face was enough to tell that he was worried when I came. He was hunched over the table. He had maps scattered around him like pieces of a broken world. He looked calm at first glance.

None of his studies had brought him closer to finding Lyra. And it was killing him. “You haven’t slept for some time,” I said to him. I stood still and scanned around. My head was hotting. And my voice echoed ...