Meret closed the door behind her and leaned against it, her shoulders sagging with exhaustion. The silence of the house wrapped around her, soft and still, so different from the charged tension that She had felt earlier the day. She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the steady beat of her heart. It was still racing, but not from fear this time—no, it was something else. Something lighter.

For the first time in what felt like ages, she had stood her ground.

Her lips curved into a small, ...