Lyra crossed the small gap between them without hesitation, eyes bright in a way they hadn't been for days, and Jareth opened his arms like he'd been waiting for that exact moment. He didn't squeeze her hard or make a show of it. He just held her, steady and familiar, one hand resting against the back of her head the way people did when they wanted to make sure someone was real.
"You look thinner," he said. "And tired."
Lyra let out a breath that sounded half like a laugh and half like relief. "You look the same. Still pretending you don't worry."
Jareth smiled at her. "That stopped working years ago."
She stepped back, still smiling, and for a moment it felt almost normal.
That moment didn't last.
