Lyra shivered. For a brief moment, doubt overtook her."Alex..." she whispered.
His face softened. He knelt beside her slowly, tension clear in his shoulders, as if even a single movement might scare her away. He reached out cautiously, with a fear that spoke louder than words — as if he believed one touch could be enough to lose her. When his fingers brushed her arm, Lyra flinched. But she didn't pull away.
"It's me," he said.His voice was hoarse, deep, but human — full of emotions suppressed by pain and exhaustion. Each word seemed to fight its way past the wild nature still lingering inside him. With every syllable, he was trying to find himself again.
He was practically naked. His clothes hung in tatters, and black demon blood still dripped from his hands. His body was covered in scratches and scars, muscles tense as if still ready to fight.
