No one argued when my aunt asked everyone to clear the area.
Turns out, when an [SS-ranked] ghostly woman with a reputation for turning people into empty husks asks you to do something, even a group as uncooperative as my companions starts cooperating.
They lowered their weapons, relaxed their stances… and immediately backed away with the kind of exaggerated casualness that very clearly said they wanted no part in this family talk at all.
No one even met our eyes.
…Except Michael.
Only he gave me a quick look that could've been interpreted as either, 'Shout if you need us, or, 'If anything happens to you, I'll steal your stuff.'
I decided he meant the former. Hopefully.
Finally, everyone cleared the area.
I breathed slowly, and only then realized how rigid my shoulders were as I let them drop.
Aunt Morgan was the first to move.
This time, when she reached out to caress my face, I couldn't pull away. Or perhaps I didn't want to.
