WILLOW
I had this whole plan for when Lyra got back. Seriously, I'd rehearsed it, the way you do when you've got way too much time on your hands and zero control over anything. The idea was she'd just waltz through those packhouse doors, looking like her usual self, probably rocking one of the twins' hand-me-downs. Then I'd hit her with some snarky comment about how long she'd been gone, she'd roll her eyes, and we'd bicker about something stupid for ten minutes before falling into each other like we always do. That was the plan. The one I'd been replaying in my head for three solid days while the packhouse held its breath, guards swapped out, and those council reps watched everything with their unnervingly careful eyes.
What I definitely didn't plan for was Orion carrying her through th
