Chapter 61 – Race Against Time

Lyra

I strode back and forth in Lila's den, my thoughts racing like leaves trapped in a storm. Kim was laying on the improvised bed, breathing shallowly and laboriously. Each agonizing breath served as a reminder of the ticking clock. "Think, Lyra," I said to myself.

"What did Lila say about poison?" Rare. It mimics a wasting illness. But aside from that, I was grasping at shadows. "We'll make it," Selene's voice said calmly in my head, a contrast to my terror.

"We've experienced obstacles before. I took a deep breath and attempted to concentrate. "You're right," I muttered. "We have to approach this methodically." I went down beside Kim and softly grasped her hand. It felt chilly and moist, like a wet stone. "Kim?" I called quietly.

"Can you hear me?" Her eyelids fluttered and she managed a weak nod. “I need you to tell me exactly how you feel,” I said, squeezing her hand. "Every detail can be important." Kim's voice was barely a whisper. "It… it's burning. Like fire in my veins.