Lyra awoke to Damien choking on blood.
She screamed.
But when she reached him, time rewound.
He was whole again.
She screamed again.
The scene played again. Slightly different. A new assassin. A new outcome. Damien died again.
And again.
And again.
Each loop altered her. Hardened her. Her hands began moving before the assassins attacked.
Until she killed them first.
Until she killed Damien first.
To spare him.
But the loop reset anyway.
A voice echoed in her mind: "This is your Trial. You must break the loop without breaking yourself."
Lyra fell to her knees.
The Epoch Shard flared.
And Damien opened his eyes—not as Damien. But as the one who had been laughing inside him.