Chapter 57 Weren't Meant To Remain Ordinary

• Lyra’s POV
• I woke to the sound of my own breath. Too sharp. Too fast. It wasn’t fear this time—it was something else. My body felt different, tight beneath the skin, like a bowstring pulled and waiting to snap.
• When I opened the door to step into the corridor, the palace was quiet. Yet not silent. I could hear the faint thud of footsteps several rooms away, the creak of doors opening, even the low rumble of voices where I should have heard nothing.