Lyra's POV
I woke up to a sharp, throbbing pain in my wrists. My arms were tied above me, the rope biting into my skin, and I was hanging upside down. Panic shot through me as I blinked, trying to make sense of where I was. My vision was blurry at first, but slowly, the dark, flickering light of torches came into focus. The room was massive, filled with shadows and the ominous murmur of voices speaking in a language I didn’t understand.
I craned my neck to look around, my head spinning as blood rushed downwards. The room was cold, the stone walls wet with condensation. Beneath me, I could see a small stream, its water calm and cool. My body dangled precariously over it, and I knew that if the ropes were released, I’d plunge into the water below. But what made my stomach twist was the str
