CIAN
I took the stairs two at a time. The walls blurred past me, but it still did not feel fast enough. My study was on the second floor. The gardens were at ground level. The distance stretched, every step heavier than the last. Through the bond, I felt her emotions spiraling. That same hollowness she carried earlier had cracked wide open now, spreading like a shadow consuming everything in its reach.
By the time I reached the garden entrance, guards had gathered, their postures stiff and unsure.
Fia was on her knees in the grass. Her phone lay forgotten beside her. One hand clutched her stomach like she could physically hold herself together if she just pressed hard enough. Her whole body shook as if she'd been struck by something that shattered her from the inside out.
The guards hovered, uncertain. A few had reached out, but none dared touch her. An omega servant wrung her hands and looked around frantically for someone to tell her what to do.
