Elara quickly pulled her hand out of Adrian's grasp. Almost at the same time, Adrian also withdrew his own hand and slipped it casually into his pocket as though nothing had happened.
Mrs Vale had already turned her attention to Zia. A fond smile spread across her face as she gently pinched the little girl's cheek. "Little girl, where are you from?"
"Crelou. Scary Suit Uncle likes me. You should like me too." Zia said while giggling excitedly.
"Scary Suit Uncle?" Mrs Vale repeated, giving a small chuckle of amusement.
At that moment, the sound of approaching footsteps broke the atmosphere. Elara turned her head and spotted Harris walking through the clearing while looking around.
The moment he noticed them, his pace quickened. When he reached them, his eyes immediately landed on the unconscious man lying on the ground. Then he stopped in front of Mrs Vale, breathing heavily. His face was full of concern.
