Lyra's POV
Dawn broke with me nestled in perfect warmth.
Ash had wrapped himself around me during the night, his steady breathing tickling my shoulder as soft snores escaped his lips. I blinked against the pre-dawn darkness, my body naturally stirring awake. A quick glance at the clock showed four forty-five. We had exactly thirty minutes before our rendezvous at the admissions building.
I gently shook Ash, trying to rouse him from sleep. He responded with a low growl, burying his face deeper against my neck instead of acknowledging the wake-up call. Patience wearing thin, I twisted in his arms and gave his chest a firm push.
His eyes snapped open immediately.
"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty," I muttered, my voice still gravelly from sleep. "Your bag is sitting there empty and our ride leaves in thirty minutes, which means we need to be out of here in twenty."
