The door to my room swung open, and I stepped inside, sensing Jayden's presence lingering just behind me. She followed, almost unconsciously, as if drawn by something she didn't fully understand.
Yet, when I turned to face her, I saw it—the hesitation in her stance, the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. It was a far cry from the fear that once dominated her expression.
I sat down on the edge of the bed, my gaze never leaving hers. The air between us was thick with unspoken questions, the kind that only surface when the masks start to slip. "Officer Jayden," I said, my voice low and measured, "is something bothering you?"
Jayden seemed to snap back to reality, as if my words had jolted her out of a trance. She stood there for a moment, her fingers twitching slightly at her sides, before she finally spoke.
"Master... that... I..." She paused, gathering herself. "I want to ask you... Why didn't you control me like the others? You could have easily done it."
