Alina's eyes drifted toward the quietest corner, where a tiny shadow seemed to hug the legs of one chair.
Sable.
He was so small, almost hidden in the way his dark hair fell over his big eyes. His little hands played with the edge of his uniform sleeve, tugging at the fabric like it might hide him forever. The soft shadows that always seemed to follow him curled gently around his feet, like a blanket made of dusk.
"Sable," Alina called softly, her voice as warm as candlelight. "Would you like to share next, sweetheart?"
Sable's big dark eyes peeked up. For a second, he didn't move at all, just blinked, his shadow flicking nervously around his ankles. But when he saw Alina's gentle smile and the tiny nod from Rocky, who peeked out from behind his desk to encourage him — he swallowed and slowly, slowly stood up.
His feet made no sound at all on the floor. He padded into the open space, so quiet you could almost hear Boo holding his breath.
