rizon, orange and pink streaks adorn the sky. However, I fail to see i

y. Everything will be d

undercloud, obscuring all potential outcomes. I feel as tho

s broken by a

n," in a hardl

ever seen. At first, he just stands there and looks at me with sorrowful and g

shaky voice. "I am awa

Do you believe that this is about fairness when you're aski

ces. However, the regret wanes as I recall Kensing

. But we have no other choice, Lyra. Everything has been gobbled up by th

that there's another option. But I just see failure. It's like he's already give

voice rising, I ask. Selling me out as a nego

hair and his shoulders slump. "Ly

m, my voice shaking with grief and rage

nces down at his hands, which are twitching uneasily

as he finally says, "I don't know what els

king the room feel oppressive. I want to yell, to weep, to insist that he go in a different dir

ls as though the air has been forced out of the room. One thing keeps coming up in my thoughts: my family.

what

now the solution. We lose everything if I

his time, it's heavier and more intention

I say, prep

fills the room instantaneously, and I feel my pulse quicken. He goes

?" His voice is as sharp and

swallow hard. "Is th

hoice," yet it's obvious from hi

enough to support me as I rise.

no contentment. The same icy, disinteres

vely. "Tomorrow, we will f

e at him. "Is that all you have to say? Just 'good'?

pproaches. "Lyra, caring doesn't alter the truth

hest heaving with repressed rage. I whisper, "You're a m

r a minute. However, it vanished as swiftly as i

." "But when your family still has

words weighing me down like a heavy blanket. He stops j

ng back. "Don't think for a second that you'l

knees weaken, and I sink into the bed, my head in my hands. The truth of what I've

murmurs something I can't ignore: *You're not just res

n is alread