The Anima [completed]

On the anniversary of her best friend's disappearance, Lyra's world is shattered when mysterious men kidnap her, pulling her into a perilous new realm. Trapped in a world of fey and ancient magic, Lyra must navigate a labyrinth of court intrigue, escape the King's watchful eye, and unravel the secrets of her own destiny. Will she find her way home, or become another pawn in a cosmic game?

The future pressed in on Lyra, a relentless tide she couldn't outrun. It gnawed at her, a physical ache mirroring the one in her heart, reminding her that time was a current dragging everyone forward, except for one.

Lucas Young. His missing person flyers, still plastered around town, were a cruel joke. Lyra knew better. No one that young, that talented, that stupid, disappeared for a year and came back.

Time had consumed everyone else. The band found a new guitarist, Amber Rose found a new man, and even the teachers stopped talking about him. Only Mrs. Aali's honey Baklava remained a constant, its sweet scent a painful reminder of Sunday dinners that Lucas once shared with them.

Lyra herself had changed. Seventeen, tall, with dark curly hair and eyes that seemed perpetually furrowed in thought. Her body, hardened by self-imposed training, bore the scars of a fight she barely remembered. She sang now, but only sad songs, to remember, to ensure she wouldn't forget.