Aria’s POV
Tabitha’s movements were calm, deliberate, as if every action carried the weight of centuries. She poured the water from the jug with such grace that it felt rehearsed, like she’d done it a thousand times before. Her hand was steady, the liquid gliding into the glass without a single drop spilling over. When she turned and offered it to me, her sharp eyes pierced through the quiet.
“Here,” she said simply, her voice smooth but carrying a tone that suggested she was in control of this moment.
I hesitated, then reached out and took the glass. My fingers brushed hers for a second—her skin cool, almost unnervingly so—and I pulled back quickly. The water was icy and refreshing, but it did little to calm the storm in my chest.
I gulped it down, the coolness sliding over my dry thr
