Her fist arched in the air—about to land—but in that moment, her body betrayed her. Too much energy lost today. Too many steps taken, too many words bitten back. She could feel it—her strength draining in one clean pull, like water slipping through cracked fingers.
She'd noticed before: their energy, all three of them, recovered faster than hers. It wasn't fair, but it was reality.
When she got tired, she really got tired.
And now, her leg throbbed like hell.
All because these fools didn't even know the way.
They had nearly been thrown out—if she hadn't thought ahead.
And now he was talking about common sense?
As if anything in this world had ever followed such rules.
What kind of world called it "common" when a no-legged beast could become a two-legged, smug-faced hunk and act like he belonged?
But suddenly, a knock on the door broke the moment.
"Can I come in?"
A soft male voice drifted in, cutting through the thick tension.
