So one by one, the tension around the room loosened a little, though not completely.
Not for everyone.
Shelia still did not like it.
She could not even properly explain why, because nothing truly wrong had happened yet. Still, something about this new healer made her feel uneasy, and she had long learned to trust the small warnings in her chest.
So while the others were still shifting around awkwardly, Shelia quietly reached for Ophelia's arm and pulled her a little to the side.
"When did you become so close to her?" Shelia whispered.
Ophelia blinked at her with that same soft sweetness. "Only today."
Shelia stared at her.
"What do you mean only today?"
Ophelia smiled nervously. "I mean… today."
Shelia looked as though she wanted to hold her own head.
"We have talked about this before," she said quietly. "What do you mean only today? You cannot keep trusting strangers this easily."
Ophelia pouted a little. "But she is a healer."
