"Where is she?" Maribel demanded, her voice dropping into a quiet, lethal register. She ignored the shattered doorway, anchoring her gaze entirely onto Elias. I sat frozen beneath the blankets, wondering how she knew Elias had taken me when he had escaped every guard without a trace. Elias opened his mouth to speak, his posture tensing, but I knew my friend was on the verge of going feral. Desperate to prevent a confrontation in our bedroom, I spoke up before he could step forward.
"Maribel," I called out softly. The effect was instantaneous. The biting cold that had gripped the room melted away, and Maribel's attention snapped past Elias to find me on the bed. The terrifying mask fell from her face, replaced by an overwhelming vulnerability.
Before I could blink, she crossed the room, rushed toward the mattress, and threw her arms around me in a fierce, crushing hug. She buried her face in my neck, holding my waist tightly as if anchoring herself to the reality that I was safe.
