Elias's expression went blank.
Then his brow twitched.
He then turned his head to look at his arm holding her before he released her quickly like she had burned him.
Aya nearly slumped forward from the sudden absence of pressure. She caught herself against the wall, her palms pressing flat against the cold stone as she steadied her footing.
His jaw locked so hard Aya could hear his teeth grind.
"Sorry. So sorry, that was not the time to—" Aya groaned and sighed, a serious expression taking over her face. "Have breakfast with me. I am serious. I want to talk about this curse and help you all undo it. And if you decide it's a waste of time, you can leave."
Elias' eyes narrowed. "What are you—"
"I am not up to anything and I am not asking you to forgive me," Aya added, because she could see the refusal building behind his eyes. "I am also not asking you to like me or to pretend things are fine. I'm asking for one meal where I can say what I need to say. That's it."
