Azura's POV
I turned around so slowly you would've thought my neck was rusted.
My heart wasn't just beating; it was trying to punch its way out of my ribs. The sound of it was a loud thump-thump ringing in my ears. In my head, I was already picturing the worst. A ghost? A giant spider? Some ancient guardian with a flaming sword? Honestly, after the day I'd had, I was ready for anything.
But I was not ready for Genevieve.
She was sitting in a plush, velvet chair across the room, looking like she was just waiting for her favorite tea to be served. She looked perfectly relaxed, back straight, hands folded neatly in her lap, and a tiny, calm smile playing on her lips. It was the kind of look a mother gives you when she catches you stealing a piece of bread, not the look you expect from someone hiding behind a "breathing" stone wall.
