When Lyanna caught the look on Caelum's face, her smile brightened with a clarity that felt like a blow to Avelina.
It was a sharp, triumphant expression, a smug curve of the lips that said more than words ever could.
Avelina felt a surge of pure, unadulterated hatred boiling in her gut. She knew exactly what Lyanna was doing; she was gloating.
However, seeing that the tide had turned and no one in the room was currently leaping to her defense, Avelina had no choice but to swallow her pride. It was a bitter pill to take.
Her voice, when she finally spoke, was barely audible, sounding like the thin drone of a mosquito in the quiet room.
"I am sorry," Avelina whispered, her eyes cast toward the floor. "I will be more careful with my words from now on."
Lyanna didn't offer a gracious acceptance.
Instead, she let out a sharp, mocking sound from the back of her throat. "What a fake apology," she said, her voice loud and clear so that no one could miss the disdain.
