Lyra moved before the scream.
Before the guard lunged.
Before the metal flashed.
The bond snapped tight, instinct overriding thought as she twisted sideways, Tyler’s grip tearing loose from her wrist as the world erupted into sound.
Steel rang.
Someone shouted her name.
The guard surged forward with a broken snarl, bindings falling away as if they’d never truly been meant to hold him. The blade in his hand caught the light, angled straight for her chest.
For the bond.
Lyra didn’t think.
She reacted.
She slammed her shoulder into him just as the blade came down, the impact jarring her bones as they crashed to the ground together. The breath left her in a harsh rush. Dirt scraped her palms. The knife skidded free, disappearing into the dust.
The guard clawed at her, eyes wild, mou
