The chemical warmth of the pill bloomed in Lyra's chest far faster than she anticipated, a cruel and sudden contrast to the icy terror paralyzing her limbs. It brought no relief only a heavy, suffocating fog that locked her muscles in place and made the dim storeroom spin in slow, agonizing loops. The rough bite of the hay beneath her faded into a distant, detached sensation, though the heavy, repulsive weight of Andrew pinning her down remained a crushing reality."Good girl," Andrew murmured, his breath hot and foul against her cheek as he slowly released his choking grip on her throat. He sat back on his haunches, watching her with a predatory, twisted satisfaction as her gaze grew glassy and unfocused. "See? It's much better when you don't fight. You should have just listened from the very beginning."Lyra tried to form words, to curse him, to scream for help, but her tongue felt thick, heavy, and entirely useless against the roof of her mouth. A artificial wave of euphoria tried
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