Lyra's POV

Luna Mara enveloped me in a warm, comforting hug as if her embrace could shield me from the horrors I’d faced. For a moment, the weight of the world felt lighter.

“You’re going to be okay, Lyra,” she whispered softly, her voice steady and reassuring. “I’ll check on you as often as I can. You’re not alone in this.”

Tears welled up in my eyes, but this time, they weren’t just from despair. They were from gratitude. “Thank you, Mara. I don’t know how to repay you for all of this,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

“You don’t have to,” she said with a gentle...