Aveline had learned something the hard way.
There was no point in fighting a battle you already knew you would lose.
It wasn't wisdom she had gained willingly. It had been beaten into her, lesson after lesson, blow after blow, until her body understood it even when her mind tried to resist.
And now… That same instinct rose again.
For a fleeting second, the market disappeared. The colors, the voices, the warmth of the sun… All of it faded into something darker, something older.
She was back in that filthy chicken coop, the stench clinging to her skin, the ground cold beneath her as hunting dogs circled too close, their growls low and eager. Outside, laughter rang out… the cruel laughter of Beatrice, and her friends… watching, waiting, and enjoying her panic.
Aveline's breath shortened.
Her fingers curled slightly, her body bracing for something that hadn't even happened yet but felt inevitable all the same.
