Was he a monster too? Lyra didn't  know the answer, and in that moment, Theodore and Engel were one and the same. "Theo stop," the quiet words of a drowning girl. She knew in her heart of hearts that the servant boy was nothing like the Geslack snake, after all, he'd shown her kindness when no one else had. "You aren't like him." Would the Temlin boy listen? Lyra was too inexperienced to see it, but there was an animal-like hunger in his eyes, the look of a man driven by lust, of a man who wished to sow.<br/><br/>"Theo," she'd whispered his name in distress, but it were as if he'd never heard her. Rough hands held onto her thighs as her gown was hiked above her waist. It was happening again, Engel and her in the bath, Engel and her in his bedroom - Theo and her in the darkness of his servant's quarters. It were as if the air were being siphoned out of her lungs, and suddenly it was hard to breathe and move and she was back in the snake's room, pinned beneath his body as his hips pistoned into her raised behind and as his man's sword pierced in and out of her until she bled all over the sheets.<br/><br/>The memories were paralyzing.<br/><br/>Why couldn't she move or push him away? Lyra felt a sickening fear wash over her as Theodore parted her legs and plunged head first into her splayed thighs. His lips were warm against her womanhood and as he sought out his pleasure, something inside of Lyra died. What was the point of fighting when Engel had already ruined her? The veil was already in her blood, her only ally had lost his senses, and there was nothing she could do to escape the manor.<br/><br/>Lyra was vaguely aware of the pitcher of water behind her, but the last string inside of her had already been broken. She closed her eyes and allowed Theo to have his way with her, hoping that the boy would reach his senses. Everything was ruined already, she'd already lost her last ally and only friend to the snake's clutches.