(Euryale's POV)
The house felt different the moment I woke up. Quieter, like the wind had paused to listen. The sky outside our window was a soft blue, the kind that makes you feel like the day will be important—even before anyone says it out loud.
Silas was still asleep, one arm flopped across my stomach and the other clutching his stuffed goose. I gently moved his arm and sat up, listening. Footsteps. A whisper. Water being poured. And then…
A cry.
Not loud. Not wild. Just small and soft—like the mewl of a kitten.
I sat frozen for a moment, unsure if I'd imagined it.
Then Pa stepped into the room, and his eyes were wet.
"She's here," he said quietly. "The baby."
She.
A sister.
I ran to the front room, bare feet thudding against the floor. Ma was lying back in bed, her hair stuck to her forehead with sweat, her eyes tired but glowing. In her arms, wrapped in a faded green cloth, was the tiniest human I had ever seen.
I didn't speak. I just knelt beside Ma and stared.
She had wisps of black hair and a wrinkled little face. Her nose was a button, and her fingers were curled into tiny fists. I reached out, slowly, until my pinky touched hers.
She grabbed it.
The whole world melted.
"Want to hold her?" Ma whispered.
I nodded, careful not to make sudden moves. Pa helped ease her into my arms. She weighed almost nothing, but I felt like I was holding a whole galaxy.
Her eyes blinked open just for a second.
They were the color of warm earth after rain.
Silas ran in a few minutes later, still rubbing sleep from his eyes.
"Is that it?" he asked, peering over the edge of the bed. "That's the baby?"
"Her name is Lyra," Ma said softly. "She's your sister."
Silas tilted his head. "She's kind of small."
"She'll grow."
"Can I poke her?"
"No."
He pouted, then climbed onto the bed and rested his head on Ma's shoulder, looking at Lyra with wide eyes. "Okay… she's kinda cute."
The rest of the day felt like a dream. Neighbors brought food and little gifts wrapped in cloth. Tex sent over some sweet fruit jelly "for the brave mama." Pa kept telling everyone the story of how calm Ma had been, how strong. Silas repeated the baby's name to everyone who would listen.
And me?
I couldn't stop watching her.
She slept most of the day. Sometimes she made little sounds—soft sighs, a squeaky snore, a hiccup that startled her into a frown. I stayed close, even when I helped Pa prepare dinner or washed Silas's hands for the third time.
It felt like something had clicked into place.
That night, after Lyra had fed and Ma had fallen asleep, I sat beside Pa under the stars.
"You're the oldest now," he said with a smile. "How's that feel?"
"I don't know. It feels… good. I want to help more."
"You already do."
We were quiet for a while. The stars above looked clearer than ever.
"I think she's going to be the loud one," I said.
"Like Silas?"
"Louder."
He chuckled. "Good. We could use a loud one. Someone to keep you two in check."
I smiled, thinking of Lyra's tiny hand around my finger.
"She's going to be amazing," I said.
"I think so too," Pa said, looking at me. "Just like her brother."
Back inside, Silas was already asleep again, snoring into his goose. I crept into the bedroom and peeked into the little cradle Pa had built weeks ago. Lyra was there, fast asleep, her breath tiny and even.
I knelt beside the cradle and rested my head on the edge.
"Hi," I whispered. "I'm your big brother. My name's Euryale."
She stirred, just a little.
"I'll protect you. I promise."
Her tiny lips curved into something that almost looked like a smile.
And even though she was too little to understand, I knew deep in my heart that she'd heard me.