Astria did not move at first. She remained by the doorway, the cup still in her hands, her eyes fixed entirely on me. There was no greeting, no acknowledgment of Kaiden, only that sharp, unwavering focus that carried something far deeper than simple caution. It was fear, immediate and unhidden, the kind that made a person hesitate before deciding whether to flee or fight.
Then her gaze dropped to my hand, to where I was holding Lirael and everything changed in an instant.
The cup trembled slightly before she rushed forward, closing the distance between us so quickly that the air itself seemed to shift with her movement.
I released Lirael immediately and stood, stepping back without resistance as Astria dropped to her side, her movements urgent but careful, as though even the slightest misstep would break something fragile.
"Mother—"
