Aria's/Lysara's POV

I needed to act fast, and that I did. I put the document back into the box, and I ran out of the closet for the hearth, moving as fast and as soundless as was possible, the footsteps crunching louder and closer to me as I moved.

My heartbeat went on a rampage, beating hard against my chest. Each echo of the footsteps closer to me tightened my chest, constricting the air flow inside of me.

I rubbed my palm against one of the burnt logs in the hearth, scooping ash to my ...