Lily POV
The bus ride back to pack house felt longer than usual, giving me too much time to think about what answer to give Jason. By the time I reached my stop, I was mentally exhausted.
As I walked up the winding path to my quarters, I spotted Emma pacing frantically on the front porch. She looked disheveled. Her hair was escaping from the carefully packed bun at the back of her head and was wringing her hands with in anxiety.
The moment she saw me approaching, she broke into a cry of relief.
"Miss Lily!" she exclaimed, rushing down the steps to meet me. "Oh, thank goodness you're safe! We were so worried!"
Before I could respond, she had grabbed my arm and was practically dragging me toward the house.
"Emma, I'm fine," I protested as she ushered me through the front door. "I left you a note explaining where I was going."
"A note!" she repeated, her voice rising with distress. "Miss Lily, a note is not the same as proper security protocols!"
