Lyra's POV
"Lyra," Poppy's voice carried a weight I hadn't heard before. Her fingers tightened around mine, creating an anchor in the storm of my emotions. "Just stop talking. I understand. Well, mostly. I'm wounded, but I get why you did it."
My vision blurred as tears threatened to spill. "You're really not furious with me?"
"A bit, yeah," Poppy tilted her head, considering her words carefully. "But I've never walked in your shoes. I can't pretend I'd handle things differently if I were facing what you're dealing with. I mean, you're literally a hidden princess!"
A strangled laugh escaped my throat, somewhere between relief and tears. "A hidden princess."
"That's incredibly badass," Poppy's face broke into a grin. "My best friend is absolutely badass!"
The tension that had been coiled tight in my chest suddenly released, and we both dissolved into uncontrollable laughter. The kind of laughter that borders on hysteria, born from too much stress and too many emotions.
