SERAPHINA’S POV
I could tell Judy was still wound tight long after we’d left the hotel.
She walked stiffly beside me all the way to OTS, her jaw clenched, shoulders hunched as though Brynjar’s shadow still lingered at her back.
“Come on,” I said gently, catching her wrist before she could retreat into the building and probably wallow in the dorms. “We’re not ending the night like this.”
Her wide, uncertain eyes flicked to mine. “Sera, I—”
“No arguments.” I tugged her down a side street, toward a small café that stayed open late for students and guests alike.
The glow from inside spilled across the pavement, warm and welcoming. “You need something sweet after a bitter experience like that.” I shot her a smile, which she reluctantly returned. “My treat.”
We slid into a booth by the window. The scent of baked bread and caramel clung to the air, calming and indulgent.
