The words had barely settled when Kiara stepped back, her chest rising and falling as if the air around her had suddenly grown too heavy to breathe.
"I don't want to see either of you." Her voice came out sharper than intended, edged with something raw. Not just anger, there was hurt, disappointment, and exhaustion. Her eyes moved between them, lingering for only a second on each before she shook her head. "Not right now. Not like this."
Neither man spoke.
Fionn remained where he was, jaw tight, a faint trace of blood still visible at the corner of his lip. Samuel stood opposite him, chest heaving, his knuckles slightly bruised, but his gaze fixed on Kiara as if trying to anchor her in place.
But she was already turning.
Without another word, Kiara spun around and walked away, her steps quick, almost hurried, as though staying even a second longer would break something inside her completely.
"Kiara.." Maeve called, pushing past a few startled onlookers as she rushed after her.
