He didn't know what it was. He hadn't even noticed it was there. But in that brief moment, he understood.... had Lyra not spoken, his head might have left his shoulders.
He swallowed hard, trying to pretend he wasn't shaken.
Lyra yawned again, stretching once more with a tired groan. "Forgive my bodyguards," she said lazily. "They get a little jumpy whenever someone tries to act clever. They're a bit too protective. To them, I'm a kind of royalty, you see."
Then she waved the topic away like dust in the air.
"But let's skip the awkward part. I assume you didn't come all this way just to insult me." She leaned forward, resting her arms on the table and placing her chin on her hands.
"So? Tell me why you're here. I'd like to wrap this up soon since I have very important business with my pillow."
She yawned again, her fangs flashing as if to remind them, royalty or not, she was still a predator.
