A faint muffled groan echoed among the bed sheets. With her eyes tightly closed, Lyra seemed to be dreaming of something unpleasant, her pink lips slightly parted, releasing a delicate, breathy moan.
The sound resembled that of newborn kittens or puppies: soft whimpers naturally produced in sleep when one's body is unconsciously touched. That explanation would work just as well.
It was just a little far-fetched.
But since Lyra had initially chosen to pretend to be asleep, even the slightest chance to keep up the ruse was better than being discovered by Astrid and becoming the subject of her teasing.
Carefully controlling her body to avoid displaying any further signs that she was awake, Lyra maintains her earlier breathing rhythm, her slightly parted pink lips remaining open.
Even now... you're still pretending to sleep?
