Enemies on the First Day

Lyra's POV.

I let out a massive, shuddering sigh of profound relief the moment the three warriors vanished into the shifting shadows of the courtyard. The darkness swallowed their imposing figures, but my heart still raced frantically against my ribs. It battered against my chest cavity like a trapped bird, keeping the sheer, paralyzing dread alive in my veins. The lingering, sharp pain from Derr