Chapter 62

Lyra’s POV

The very next morning, golden beams of sunlight danced across my bedroom, painting soft patterns on the walls. My alarm blared insistently, and I slapped at it until the noise finally ceased. I lay there for a moment, letting the warmth of the sun creep through the blankets and radiate against my skin. Fluttering butterflies trailed through my stomach, and I couldn’t help but grin like a happy fool.

I shifted under the covers and reached across the bed, expecting to feel Alistair’s familiar presence beside me—but instead, cool linen met my fingertips. He wasn’t there. Confusion prickled through me. My heart quickened. Was everything I’d experienced last night real? Or had it been nothing more than a vivid dream conjured by my imagination? I glared at the empty pillows. No, it had really happened. I had shared those moments with him.

When I tried to lift myself out of bed, a sharp twinge shot through my legs, and I winced. My muscles were sore; las