I paced outside my father’s office, my mind swirling with anxiety. Ivy sat on the bench, her leg bouncing as she watched me wear a path into the floor. My mother stood near the wall, arms crossed, her face a mask of calm that I knew hid her own tension. Ryder was inside, with the adjudicator. Just thinking about what he might be going through made my chest tighten. I reached out through the bond, feeling for his presence, trying to focus on him, to reassure myself.
“Faye, you’re going to wear a hole in the floor if you keep pacing like that,” Ivy said lightly, trying to ease the tension. Her voice was soft, but I could hear the edge of worry underneath.
I paused, giving her a weak smile. “Sorry. I just… I hate not knowing what’s going on in there. What if they’re blaming Ryder for Lucian
