I woke up that morning feeling a knot of anticipation twisting in my stomach, like the kind you get before a big exam or a first date, but dialed up because this was the day we'd potentially meet Meredith!
The sun was just starting to creep over the jagged rooftops of the city, painting the sky in soft pinks and oranges that filtered through the curtains of my room in the manor. I could hear the distant sounds of the household stirring: the soft thud of footsteps in the halls, the clatter of pots in the kitchen, and Lyra's voice already chattering away somewhere below. She was probably buzzing with energy, unable to contain herself, while Isobel was no doubt orchestrating the whole setup with her usual precision.
