The air felt heavy.
As if the corridor itself was holding its breath.
Liam stood before Demetria like a soldier awaiting execution… head bowed, shoulders tense, spine stiff as a board.
He didn't tremble…
but he also didn't dare look her in the eye.
Demetria stared at him as if she could burn holes through his skull.
Her voice was a low growl at first…
"Dante did what?"
Liam's silence only made it worse.
Her jaw clenched.
Her nostrils flared.
Her eyes widened with the threat of violence.
Then she exploded completely. "Did the cat get your tongue? IDIOT?! Dante did what?"
Liam swallowed hard.
The words scraped out of him like they were bleeding.
"He… went with the Hunters…"
A beat.
Demetria blinked.
Then the realization slammed into her.
"What???"
Her voice shattered against the walls.
Then louder…enraged…almost disbelieving…
"THE WHAT???"
It echoed like thunder.
Her eyes bulged, wild and furious, as if about to burst out of her skull.
