Lyra's eyes snapped open at the sound of hushed voices outside her hospital room. Her body felt heavy, weighed down by medication and exhaustion. The nightmare still lingered—the cold basement floor, the terrified children, the boy who had promised to find her again.
She took a deep breath, pushing away the memories. The present was complicated enough without dwelling on ghosts from her past.
The door opened, and Captain Vance entered, accompanied by a young man Lyra recognized immediately. Julian Blackwood—Colette's nephew and Milo's son.
"Mrs. Covington," Captain Vance said formally. "Mr. Blackwood requested to see you. I've explained your condition, but he was quite insistent."
Julian stood awkwardly at the foot of her bed. He looked nothing like his father—where Milo had been bulky and intimidating, Julian was slim with delicate features. His eyes were red-rimmed, his complexion sallow.
"I'll wait outside," Captain Vance said, nodding to the officer stationed by the door.
