For Elara's sake, he said I deserved it!
Trembling uncontrollably, I could no longer cling to the hallway wall and staggered backward. Somewhere deeper in the compound, a door closed. The silence that followed was the kind that fills a room after a gunshot.
Ansel quickly steadied me, only to see that my knee was swollen and bruised.
He immediately crouched down to inspect the injury.
"How did you hurt your knee so badly?"
"Forget it. If you won't apologize, I'll do it for you, but you mustn't be so disrespectful in the future."
I wrenched my hand away with all my strength, my face ashen as I pointed toward the door.
"Get out! All of you, get out!"
Ansel, recognizing my vulnerability, tried to soothe me with a comforting embrace.
But Elara, tears streaming down her face, bowed deeply.
"Serafina, I'm leaving now. Please, don't torment yourself over this."
Her head tilted slightly to the right, her expression softening into something that looked almost like compassion. Then she turned to leave, spinning too quickly, crashing into the doorframe and falling sideways.
Ansel instantly released me and rushed to catch her. They both tumbled out into the hallway together.