[Third Person].
Meredith didn't slow until she reached her bedroom.
Draven had gone the other way—to return her things to the workstation and to summon Xamira's nanny with strict instructions. And Meredith knew why.
Xamira, once healed, would not be trusted to remain still without watchful eyes, so Draven wasn't wrong.
The door closed behind Meredith with a soft click, and she was met with immediate silence. Now that she was alone, she straightened—and the calm she had been holding fractured just enough for her to breathe deeply.
"Valmora." The name was not just a call. It was a summons.
Instantly, the heat stirred, coiling low in her chest, sharp and defiant. Valmora surged—not outward, not enough to seize control—but close enough that Meredith felt her fury vibrating against her bones.
"That ends now," Meredith said aloud, her voice steady and cold.
Valmora's presence bristled. "She was a threat," she answered, unrepentant. "I did what you hesitated to do."
