Someone knocked on Lyra's carriage.
She jolted. For a moment, her heart stopped. She'd been waiting for Tessa just like she was told, but it had been far too long. The carriage was quiet except for the faint crackle of snow hitting the windows. She rubbed her hands together, trying to chase away the cold.
Then came another knock. Soft. Hesitant.
"Tessa?" she called out.
No answer.
Lyra swallowed, glancing at the fogged window before leaning closer to the door. "Tessa, is that you?"
Another knock, just a little louder this time. It made her uneasy. Tessa never knocked like that. Normally, she would have called her name or rushed in laughing about how cold it was outside.
Lyra took a deep breath and sat up straighter. "Why are you knocking like that?" she muttered, more to herself than anyone else. She hesitated before finally pushing the door open.
