The night air felt colder when his hand wrapped around her wrist. It was not rough, but it was strong, and she felt her whole body go still. The crowd kept moving, the music started again, but to Lyra it was as if the world had stopped. She turned slowly. Damien Nightbane stood only a step away. The same sharp jaw, the same dark eyes, the same presence that made others bow their heads. Time had not softened him. If anything, it had carved him into something harder, something heavier. “Lyra,” he said again, softer this time. She swallowed. “Let go.” He did not. His fingers stayed around her wrist, warm and unshaking. “Four years,” he said. “Four years, and you walk back here without a word.” “I came for something and I am leaving,” she whispered. Her voice was steady, but her heart was not. She was terrified by his presence obviously. His gaze lowered, catching the small bundle of moonleaf she clutched. “Who is it for?” he asked. “No one you need to know,” she said qu
Last Updated : 2025-09-04 Read more