Lyra’s POV
The first thing I felt when I opened my eyes was a sharp pain at the side of my head. It pulsed slowly and made it hard to think, and for a moment I didn’t understand where I was or why the ground felt colder than my skin. I tried to lift my arm but my body felt heavy, and when I shifted a little I realized my head wasn’t on the floor at all. Something warm was under me. I blinked until my eyes cleared, and when they finally did, I saw Kael looking down at me.
My head was on his lap.
He was sitting on the dungeon floor with his back against the wall, and he had placed me on his legs like he had been there for a long time. His hand stayed near my shoulder like he wanted to keep touching me but didn’t want to startle me.
“You’re awake,” he said quietly, “don’t move yet.”
I tr
