Lyra didn’t expect it to last this long.
The distance.
The silence.
It stretched into something real, something she couldn’t ignore anymore. Every hour without them felt heavier than the last.
So when she heard footsteps behind her—
She didn’t turn immediately.
Because part of her was afraid.
Afraid of who it might be.
Afraid of what it would mean.
“Lyra.”
Her breath stilled.
Daniel.
She turned slowly.
He stood a few steps away, hands relaxed at his sides, his expression calm—but not untouched.
Not distant.
He looked like someone who had been thinking.
Just like her.
“You disappeared,” she said softly.
Daniel gave a small shake of his head. “No. I stepped back.”
The words landed gently.
But they carried weight.
Lyra nodded slightly. “I noticed.”
Silence followed.
Not
