CHAPTER ONE: THE HOMECOMINGThe forest path felt different under Lyra's feet.She'd walked this trail a thousand times before leaving for her mission five years ago. Back then, every tree, every rock, every turn had been as familiar as breathing. Now, something felt wrong. The air tasted strange. The birds sang different songs. Everything felt off. Or maybe she was the one who had changed.So she thought. Lyra shifted the weight of her travel pack and kept walking. Her auburn hair, longer now than it had ever been, stuck to the back of her neck with sweat. The summer heat pressed down on her shoulders like a heavy blanket. Her clothes were dusty from weeks of travel. Her boots had holes in them. But none of that mattered to her now. All that mattered was that she was finally home.Five years. Five long, exhausting years of negotiating peace between packs that hated each other. Five years of sleeping in strange beds, eating unfamiliar food, and missing the people she loved. Five ye
Last Updated : 2026-01-15 Read more