~~Zeden~~
I smelled the panic rising off her.
It clung to Daya like sweat, thick and sour. She was trembling—and it wasn’t because I’d just yelled at her in front of the staff. No, this was something deeper. Something heavier. Something she didn't want to say out there.
“Come to my room,” I said calmly, already walking away.
I heard her footsteps shuffle quickly behind mine. She didn’t hesitate.
Inside the room, I stopped just by the door. She stepped in but I turned sharply, blocking her path, forcing her to stay near the entrance.
“So?” I said, my voice flat. “What’s stuck in that throat of yours?”
I tilted my head slightly. Her breathing was fast, uneven. I could hear her fidgeting, trying to piece her words together. Choosing carefully. Too carefully.
I waited a second.
“You’r
