{Maribel and Liora's POV, 3rd person omniscient. }
Maribel did not speak until they had turned the corner far enough for Ophelia to disappear from sight completely. Even then, the irritation burning through her remained painfully obvious in the sharp pace of her steps and the tension locked throughout her shoulders. Beside her, Liora still looked pale, her hands trembling faintly beneath the sleeves of her robes as though Ophelia's simple question had shaken her far more than she wished to admit.
The entire interaction had left a bitter taste in Maribel's mouth.
Maribel never liked Ophelia, she always felt too suspicious. It was not merely the sweetness in her voice or the carefully crafted innocence she wore like silk wrapped around poison. It was the way she watched people, the way her eyes lingered just a second too long whenever Seraphina's name surfaced. Maribel did not trust her. She never had.
And judging by Liora's reaction, she was not the only one.
