Lyra's POV
The book hits the floor with a crash that makes my heart jump.
I spin around from the ladder where I'm shelving the last books of the night. The front door of Papa's store slams open so hard the little bell doesn't even have time to ring—it just flies off and skitters across the wooden floor.
Six men in royal armor pour inside like a flood of metal and guns.
"Where is Theron Everhart?" the biggest guard barks. His voice bounces off every wall of our tiny shop, making the shadows from my light dance like they're scared too.
"I—what?" My fingers grip the ladder so tight they hurt. "What do you want with my father?"
Papa appears from the back room, wiping ink from his fingers onto his old brown apron. His face goes white when he sees the guards. Not normal white like when someone's surprised. Ghost white. Like he's seen death itself walk through our door.
"Run, Lyra," Papa whispers.
I don't get the chance.
Two guards grab Papa's arms and yank them behind his back. He cries out in pain.
"Stop it!" I scramble down the ladder, nearly falling in my rush. "He didn't do anything wrong!"
The tall guard—the one with cold eyes like frozen river water—steps into the light. Gold awards cover his chest. This isn't just any guard. This is someone important. Someone dangerous.
"Theron Everhart, you're under arrest for treason against the crown." His words are sharp as knife points.
"Treason?" Papa's voice cracks. "That's impossible! I'm just a store keeper!"
"You were a court mage." The guard's smile is mean and thin. "Did you think the kingdom forgot?"
My stomach drops to my feet. Court mage? Papa told me he was always a store keeper. He told me we've always lived in this small town far from the capital. He told me— He lied.
"Please," Papa begs, and I've never heard him sound like this. Broken. Terrified. "My kid has nothing to do with my past. Let her go."
The tall guard finally looks at me. Really looks at me. His cold eyes go wide.
He pulls something from his pocket—a small picture in a gold frame. He holds it next to my face, looking back and forth between me and the picture.
"Extraordinary," he breathes.
I spy the painting. It's a girl about my age with brown hair and eyes that shift between green and gold depending on the light. She's wearing a crown covered in jewels that could probably buy our entire village.
She looks exactly like me.
"Who is that?" My voice comes out squeaky and small.
"That," the guard says slowly, "is Princess Rosalie Hartwood. Daughter of King Marcus. Heir to the throne of Aurelia." He leans closer, studying my face like I'm a bug under glass. "And you could be her twin."
"I don't understand." My hands are shaking. Everything's shaking. "What does this have to do with my father?"
The guard snaps his fingers. Two more guys drag Papa toward the door. He struggles, boots scraping against the floor.
"Lyra!" Papa shouts. "Whatever they tell you, don't—"
A guard hits Papa in the stomach. He doubles over, gasping.
"Stop!" I lunge forward but the tall guard catches my arm. His grip is iron.
"Listen very carefully, girl." He pulls me close enough that I can smell wine on his breath. "Princess Rosalie has refused to marry the Dragon King of the North. She's in love with someone else and won't go through with the planned marriage."
"So?" Tears burn my eyes but I blink them back hard. I won't cry in front of these guys.
"So," the guard says, "the kingdom needs that alliance. The Dragon King is strong and dangerous. If we don't send him a bride, he'll declare war." His fingers dig into my arm. "But we found something interesting tonight. A girl who looks exactly like the princess. A girl no one important knows. A girl who could take the princess's place."
The room tilts sideways. "You want me to pretend to be the princess?"
"Smart girl." His smile makes my skin crawl. "Here's how this works. You come with us right now. You learn to walk, talk, and act like Princess Rosalie. In three days, you move north and marry the Dragon King in her place."
"And if I refuse?"
He points to the door where they're dragging Papa outside. "Your father will be killed at dawn for his crimes against the crown. Real crimes we've kept quiet for years. One word from me and he dies."
The world feels like it's ending. Like the ground opened up and I'm falling into darkness with nothing to grab onto.
"You're insane," I whisper. "I can't pretend to be a princess! I don't know anything about being royal! The Dragon King will know immediately—"
"He's never met Princess Rosalie." The guard drops my arm and straightens his uniform. "He only knows what she looks like from drawings. As long as you look right and keep your mouth shut, you'll fool him just fine."
"But—"
"Make the Dragon King fall in love with you. Keep him happy. Keep him busy. Do this and your father lives in comfort under our protection." His voice drops lower. Meaner. "Refuse, or fail, or tell anyone the truth about who you really are, and we kill him. Slowly."
Outside, I hear Papa calling my name. Begging. Fighting against the guards holding him.
My whole body feels numb. "How long?"
"How long what?"
"How long do I have to pretend?"
The guard shrugs like we're talking the weather instead of destroying my entire life. "Forever, probably. Or until you stop being useful. Whichever comes first."
He walks to the door and stops. "You have ten seconds to decide. Come quietly and save your father. Or refuse and watch him hang in the village square tomorrow morning. Your choice."
Ten seconds to choose between losing Papa forever or becoming someone else totally.
Ten seconds to decide if I'm brave enough to lie to a king.
Ten seconds to save the only family I have left.
"One," the guard counts.
I look around our tiny store. At the stories I've read a thousand times. At the safe, simple life I thought would last forever.
"Two."
My hands curl into fists. I think about Papa teaching me to read. Making me laugh. Keeping me safe.
"Three."
He kept secrets from me. Big secrets about who he really was. But he's still my papa. I can't let him die.
"Four."
I take one step toward the door.
"Five."
Then another.
"Six."
The guard smiles. He knew I'd break.
"Wait!" I grab a book from the shelf—my favorite story about a girl who was stronger than she thought she could be. "Can I bring this?"
"Fine. Seven."
I clutch the book to my chest like armor. Like it might protect me from what's coming.
"Eight."
I walk through the door of my father's store for what might be the last time.
"Nine."
Outside, Papa's eyes meet mine across the dark street. They're full of tears and fear and something else. Something that looks almost like... guilt?
What isn't he telling me?
"Ten."
The guard grabs my shoulder. "Welcome to your new life, Princess Rosalie."
A black carriage waits in the dark. Its door opens like a mouth ready to swallow me whole.
I don't look back as they push me inside. Can't look back. If I do, I'll run, and Papa will die.
The train lurches forward. Through the small window, I watch my town disappear into the night. Watch everything I've ever known fade away.
I'm going to marry a dragon.
I'm going to lie to a king.
And somehow, I have to make him fall in love with a girl who doesn't even exist.
The book in my lap falls open to a random page. In the candlelight, I read one sentence: "Sometimes the biggest lies are told to protect the people we love most."
My hands won't stop shaking.
Three days until I stop being Lyra Everhart forever.
Three days until I become someone else.
Three days until everything changes.