The wine glass slipped from my fingers.
It didn't shatter—some instinct caught it before it could hit the table, setting it down with a precision my conscious mind wasn't capable of in that moment.
"Master?" ARIA's voice in my head was concerned now. "Your heart rate just spiked to—"
"I heard you."
"I know. I felt your reaction through our bond. I'm sorry to deliver this news during—"
"Is she okay? Is Linda okay?"
A pause. When ARIA spoke again, her voice carried something like frustration.
"She's... confused. Scared. She locked herself in her room—told Jasmine she was sleeping. Told me not to dare appear, that she wanted to be alone." Another pause. "She's been crying, Master. But she won't let me help. Won't let anyone help."
My chest tightened.
Linda. Alone. Scared. Pushing everyone away because that's what she did when things got too big to process.
"She needs you," ARIA added quietly. "Even if she won't admit it."
I stood up.
Abruptly. Too fast.
