Elara gasped as she finally stumbled into Maria's house, her chest heaving as though she had run for miles. Without a second thought, she pushed the door shut behind her with trembling hands and darted straight into Maria's arms, clinging to her with desperate strength.
Maria stiffened in surprise at the sudden embrace, her eyes widening as she felt the younger woman trembling against her. But instinct took over, and she quickly wrapped her arms around Elara, holding her tightly, her hands moving in gentle circles across her back as though trying to calm a frightened child.
"Elara, what happened?" Maria's voice was laced with alarm, her gaze flickering past the girl toward the doorway as if expecting someone or something to have followed her. But the threshold stood empty. What unsettled her even more was the absence of any luggage.
