*Claire*
The moment I make it to the top of the stairs, I hear Amber's scream and see her rush into Nathaniel's arms. I don't know if he is just struck by the moment or if he is turning to her for comfort, but his arms wrap around her and pull her close to his body.
Immediately, I bristle, but now is not the time to address this. Currently, I am staring at the legs of what appears to be yet another one of Nathaniel's friends, and his friend is dead.
My walls go up. My training kicks into high gear. Suddenly, I am a shell that is completely detached from my emotions. It feels cold and alien now. It is hard to believe that this was how I always used to be, but it is more unnerving that I can slip right back into that part of my mind without hesitation or difficulty.
I step up to Natha
