Chapter Forty-Six
*An Unexpected Ally*
The hospital room was quiet, filled with the soft beeping of machines and the faint smell of antiseptic. Lyra placed a small basket of bright oranges and apples on the side table. Her grandfather, Francis Louis, looked frailer than she remembered, but his eyes were clear and sharp as they followed her movements.
“Lyra, my girl,” he said, his voice a thin whisper that held warmth. “You look… strong.”
She smiled, pulling a chair close to his bed. “I feel strong, Grandfather. A lot has changed.”
“I hear whispers,” he said, a knowing glint in his eye. “Even in this room, the nurses talk. The adopted Louis girl married the Lax heir. Caused quite a stir.”
“It wasn’t a smooth path,” Lyra admitted, her smile fading slightly.
Francis reached out a shaky
