Lyra's POV
I jolted upright, my heart pounding like a drum echoing off the forest trees in my dream. This was the third time this week. It became hard to fall asleep and when I finally did this was always how it ended.
Sunlight filtered into the room, a soft, hazy reminder that I was no longer trapped in that nightmare. Colin's voice still echoed faintly in my head—”I own you”—and I shuddered, clutching the blanket tight to my chest.
"It was just a dream," I whispered, forcing the words to steady my breath, to silence the leftover panic lodged deep within my chest. But my mind betrayed me, reminding me of the violence and the haunting laughter that had seemed so real.
A soft knock on the door pulled me back to reality, to safety. I drew in a breath, calming myself before calling out, "
