Alecia leaned on the doorframe, eyes narrowing as though Val had materialized from thin air just to ruin her morning. Her gaze swept over her older sister like she was some street peddler who had knocked on the wrong door.

“Did you lose your way?” she asked flatly, one eyebrow arched.

Val didn’t answer immediately, her jaw tightening as she steadied her breathing. Alecia smirked at the silence and added with a dismissive flick of her wrist, “I think your destination ...