The ground beneath their feet felt firm, dusty, and slightly damp. The morning wind of Arcadia blew gently, carrying with it the scent of toasted bread from afar.
Lyra stood stiffly for a few seconds, her eyes still fixed on the ground.
"...We just… instantly got here?" her voice was hesitant.
Beside her, Sasha slowly opened her eyes. For a moment, her gaze was blank, then her lips curved into an awed smile.
"This… is insane. I didn't even have time to blink. One moment we were still in the flying castle… and now we're—" she turned around, taking in the cobblestone road, rows of wooden houses, and the city wall in the distance, "—on the outskirts of the city?"
"Yes," Pierre replied casually, patting Sasha's shoulder. "You'll get used to it. The Navigator's done this plenty of times."
Elizabeth stood with her arms folded across her chest, watching Sasha like she was gauging the reaction of a child seeing a magic trick for the first time.
