Josie
I caught Kiel's arm just as he started to stand. "Wait," I said softly, my fingers curling around his wrist. "There's something I need to talk to you about before we go back."
He looked down at me, his expression soft but wary. "Josie, Varen's already—"
"This won't take long," I cut him off, my heart pounding with unease. "It's about Carolyn."
His brows furrowed slightly, confusion flickering across his face. "What about her?"
I hesitated, trying to find the right words. "The food," I finally said. "It changed. The seasoning… the saltiness. It wasn't how it used to be."
Kiel tilted his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips as if he thought I was overreacting. "Maybe she just made an error in judgment today. That happens, Josie."
I frowned, shaking my head. "No. You sound just like your brother right now." My voice came out sharper than I meant it to. "You're brushing it off like it's nothing. But what if it's not?"
