Chapter 52

Lyra’s POV

A bright shaft of sunlight danced across my face, and I awoke squinting. Blinking against the glare, I shielded my eyes with my hands, then opened them again, more slowly. The day was already in full swing, and I wondered how long I’d slept. I stretched and yawned, letting my mind drift. “I’ll be back soon…” The echo of Alistair’s voice struck me. Had he come home last night? I bolted upright, swung my legs over the bedside edge, and hurried downstairs. I slipped into the kitchen—no sign of him. Heart pounding, I raced back up and knocked on his door. Silence. I tried the handle, pushed inside: still empty. Frustration nudged me back to my room, where I grabbed my phone. We rarely talked on it—too close for calls—but I needed to know.

Just then, something in the corner caught my eye. There he was: Alistair, curled up on the couch beside the bed. Carefully, so as not to rouse him, I crossed the room and sat down next to him. His face was creased in a dee