Chapter 10

Lyra’s POV

“You really should eat more—you’ll need plenty of strength to carry my weight,” he teased, winking at me across the table. My heart thumped absurdly against my ribs. I looked away from his confident smirk, turning my gaze toward the plate before me. I picked up the fork, twirled a nest of spaghetti around its tines, and lifted it to my mouth. My stomach growled in eager protest—I hadn’t realized just how hungry I was. Within minutes, I’d polished off every last strand of pasta. It surprised me; I’d never been known for a hearty appetite. But this was my first meal of the day, and evidently I’d needed it badly.

When I glanced up, I saw him studying me, brow slightly raised. My cheeks burned with embarrassment. “I haven’t eaten anything all day,” I blurted, as though that explained everything. He said nothing in response. Instead, he used his fork to heap more pasta onto my plate. I stared at the generous portion for a moment, then murmured, “Thank you.”