Chapter 46: In with the New
When we reached the infirmary, the sight surprised me.
Lumera was sitting upright, her posture tense, her arms folded tightly across her chest.
Juniper stood face-to-face with her, her nine tails bristling high in the air, amber eyes glowing fiercely with restrained anger.
"Juniper! No!" I barked, but the Kitsune didn’t budge. Her gaze stayed locked on Lumera, her fur so stiff she looked like she’d burst forward any second.
"Juniper," I warned again, softening my voice, letting it drop into something gentler.
The tension crackled between them, sharp as a drawn bow.
After a heartbeat, she finally flicked her ears in annoyance and padded over to me, as if to say, Fine. But I still don’t like her.
I scooped her up like a fluffy puppy and slung her over my shoulders, her fur brushing against my neck like an oversized, slightly judgmental scarf.
"We do not harass people in the infirmary," I scolded lightly, scratching under her chin until she begrudgingly relaxed.
Lumera smirked but said nothing, her silence edged with a smugness I almost respected.
She folded her arms. "So... are you ready to arrest me now? Or do you finally believe me?"
Her eyes searched my face for any flicker of doubt.