Freedom!

**Lyra POV**

The crisp, cool air hit my face like a physical blow, shocking my lungs after the stagnant chill of the mansion. The outside smelled of freshly cut grass, damp earth, and blooming jasmine. The morning sun shined bright and unforgiving, casting harsh shadows across the massive stone columns of the porch. There wasn't a single cloud in the sprawling blue sky. I didn't stop to think. In