Lila quietly opened the door, peeked to both sides of the hallway, then smiled widely before adjusting her small backpack and stepping out.
She was still smiling when she came out of the hallway and saw Thorne standing there, which almost startled her.
She gulped, feeling a flicker of nervousness, but kept her smile in place. “Good morning, Thorne. I hope you had a good night’s rest.”
Thorne inclined his head slightly.
“Where are you off to this morning, Miss?” he asked, and Lila’s smile grew warmer.
“I’m attending summer coaching at my school,” she replied brightly.
“Let me get Graves then,” Thorne said, starting to turn away.
Lila reached out quickly to stop him, shaking her head. “I’m fine, Thorne. You don’t have to get Graves to follow me, please.” Her eyes held a quiet plea, bu
