AYASHA'S POV
The silence in our room felt heavy after we returned from dinner. Pavati sat on the edge of her bed, still wearing that white dress that made her look like a ghost against the dark stone walls. I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, trying to make sense of what had just happened in the dining hall.
"We need to figure this out," I said finally, breaking the quiet that had settled between us like dust.
Pavati looked up from where she'd been staring at her hands. "The decree?"
"Enemies of the Lamia must vacate the Lamia pack, as you are not Lamia." I repeated the words slowly, tasting each one. "Failure to obey will mean death in two sunsets."
She was quiet for a long moment, her brow furrowed in thought. I'd always known Pavati was smart, but watching her work through problems reminded me that she was smarter than she let most people see.
