Lyra saw the village as the sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple. She felt a little relief at the sight but stayed cautious. The buildings were small and patched together from scraps of wood and metal, like the people here had rebuilt what they could after something terrible happened. Thin trails of smoke rose from fires, and the air smelled bitter, like burnt plants. The people walking around looked just as worn as the village—tired and thin, their faces lined with worry.

As Lyra walked closer, she pulled her cloak tight around her. The staff on her back felt heavy, and its weight reminded her of all the questions she didn’t have answers to. Who was Eira? Why was she here? And why did she feel like danger was following her?

Her stomach growled loudly, making her wince. She couldn’t remember the last time she ate. Her old body—her real body—would have been shaking with hunger by now. But in this body, Eira’s body, she felt tired instead of weak. It was strange, but there wasn’t time to think about it.

She spotted a small stall piled with bread and dried meat. The woman behind it had a sharp face and a glare that seemed to cut through everyone nearby. She barked at a boy standing in front of her stall.

“I told you—no coin, no food!” the woman snapped.

The boy looked thin and scared. His clothes were dirty, and his hands shook as he reached out to the woman. “Please, my sister hasn’t eaten in days. She’s sick.”

“Not my problem,” the woman said coldly, shoving his hand away.

Before Lyra could think, she stepped forward. “Leave him alone.”

The woman turned sharply. Her glare landed on Lyra, and she frowned. “Who do you think you are?”

“I said, leave him alone.” Lyra’s voice sounded firm, stronger than she expected. It was the kind of voice that made people stop and listen. Even the boy looked surprised.

The woman hesitated, her frown deepening. Something in Lyra’s tone or the way she stood must have shaken her because the woman backed off, muttering to herself. Lyra felt the weight of the staff on her back, and she wondered if the woman saw it or just felt something strange about her.

The boy stared up at Lyra with wide eyes. “You… you scared her.”

Lyra crouched down to his level, giving him a small smile. “Are you okay?”

The boy nodded slowly. “Yeah… thanks to you.”

“What’s your name?” Lyra asked.

“Rian,” he said. “My sister’s name is Lena. She’s sick, back in our tent. I was just trying to get her something to eat.”

Lyra glanced at the bread and meat on the stall. She didn’t have any money to pay for it, but that didn’t matter. She grabbed a couple of pieces and handed them to the boy.

“Take this to her,” she said gently. “And hurry.”

Rian hesitated, his eyes flicking nervously to the woman at the stall. But she didn’t say anything, just kept glaring at Lyra. He grabbed the food quickly and ran off, yelling a quiet “Thank you!” over his shoulder.

Lyra stayed still for a moment, watching him disappear into the crowd. She felt good for helping him, but the woman’s glare and the whispers around her reminded her that she didn’t belong here. People were staring. She needed to leave.

“Not bad,” a low voice said behind her.

Lyra spun around, her hand automatically reaching for her staff. A man stepped out of the shadows, tall and wrapped in a dark cloak. His face was hard to see, but his voice was calm, almost amused.

“Who are you?” Lyra asked, her eyes narrowing.

“Just someone who’s been watching you,” he said. “And I have to say, you’ve got a way of drawing attention.”

“I don’t like being watched,” Lyra replied, her voice cold.

The man chuckled. “I figured. But you’re making it hard to ignore you. Especially when you look exactly like someone the world thought was gone.”

Lyra stiffened. “You’re mistaken.”

“Am I?” The man tilted his head slightly. “That staff. Those eyes. The way people step back when you speak. If you’re not Eira, then you’re doing a very good job pretending.”

Her chest tightened. “What do you want from me?”

“To help you,” he said simply. “But not here. You’ve made enough of a scene. If you want answers, follow me.”

Lyra hesitated, her instincts screaming not to trust him. But there was something in his voice, a quiet confidence that made her curious. If he really did have answers…

She glanced back toward the boy’s tent. It was quiet, and no one seemed to be following her. For now, the village felt safe enough.

“Fine,” Lyra said, straightening her shoulders. “Lead the way.”

The man smiled, though it didn’t seem warm. “Good choice.”

He turned and walked toward the edge of the village, heading into the dark forest. Lyra followed, her heart pounding. She didn’t know what she was walking into, but she knew one thing for sure: this was only the beginning.