Before Talia could reach the doorknob, it slammed inward with a deafening crash. The heavy wood struck her square in the face, sending her flying backwards with a pained yelp. She hit the floor hard, groaning, blood dripping from her nose.
Ares stepped through the doorway like he hadn't just kicked it open with enough force to rattle the walls.
His eyes locked on Emerald, then drifted to Talia's crumpled form on the floor. For a brief second, something unreadable passed between him and Emerald… like an unspoken understanding.
Ares saw it.
He saw the fury still burning in her; he saw the way her hands trembled, not from fear but restraint; he saw her darkness.
But he said nothing.
Instead, he stepped forward and bent to lift Talia like she weighed nothing. As he hoisted her over his shoulder, his fingers brushed blood from his jaw.
"This little thing?" Ares said, glancing at the unconscious woman. "She caused all this trouble?"
