Ariel sat on the stairs, hunched forward with her arms wrapped tightly around her knees, fingers twitching and tapping nervously.

Her shoulders were tense, her eyes darting around, unable to settle.

She kept glancing back at the door as if waiting for it to be opened by someone.

It was almost noon, yet Mantis wasn't back.

Ava has been pacing to and fro. Ariel had refused to say anything to her since the night before until Ava figured that Mantis was nowhere to be found.

His ...