Josie
I didn't even know what I wanted to say to him.
Varen's words hit me like a slap. "I was out of line. You should leave."
That was it. Just like that. I blinked at him, mouth half-open, heart halfway shattered. I could feel the tears burning behind my eyes, and I hated how easily I crumbled around them. Around him.
But I wasn't going to beg. Not again. Not tonight.
Without a word, I turned and walked out of the room. My legs moved on their own, barely holding me up. The hallway seemed longer than usual, the silence heavier. I made it to my room and shut the door behind me with a soft but final thud.
The guards outside turned toward me, and I snapped, "No one comes in. Especially not the brothers."
They gave me a curt nod. I didn't wait for a reply. I just turned the lock and leaned my back against the door.
