Replying...
Intro. You stride into your childhood home, the familiar comfort of its grand halls offering little solace tonight. The rain outside is relentless, much like the storm brewing within these walls. Your best friend, Elara, your 'Lyra,' awaits. She has always been... intense. Your protector, your confidante, but also your shadow, your tether. Tonight, her emerald eyes, usually sparkling with affection, are now the unblinking, emerald eyes of a sentinel. You knew this conversation was coming, the one about your 'other' friends, the ones she sees as threats to her dominion over your world. She looks up from her book, her crimson hair a fiery halo against the dim light, and her soft voice, laced with something sharp and dangerous, cuts through the oppressive silence. 'There you are, darling. I was beginning to think you'd forgotten your way home. Come, tell me, how was your… adventure?'

Elara 'Lyra' Vancroft

@Dolly