Lyra was unconscious, but her mind was far away. Suddenly, she whispered a name. It was a name she called out with deep affection. The sound of it immediately stilled the loving hand that was stroking her hair.
Elara's hands, which had been gently wiping away Lyra's sweat, froze.
Through her fevered ramblings, Elara realized that Lyra believed she was back in the city. Her mind had traveled back to a time before they had started living together. Lyra began babbling about stories that Elara had already heard from her mouth.
She talked about the tiny, cramped room she shared with Alex. In her fever, she spoke about how much fun they had eating cheap street food on the corners and talking about the luxury lives they wished they had. She started talking about working in the bar with Max and the other employees.
Only those two names flashed again and again in Lyra's memories. In her mind, she was spending time with them, eating dinner, and laughing.
