Alaric's expression didn't change. "That time… the person who stood in front of me, holding a brick, blocking the way—was that you?"
Emerald froze, then scoffed. "What does it matter? In the end, we all share the same fate."
He studied her intently. "Teacher Greene, this is your first time out, isn't it?"
Alaric took a step closer, his gaze sharp. "You left earlier, didn't you?"
"You… How do you know?"
His fingers brushed against her lips. "Because the one who came to me that night—so fierce, so relentless—that wasn't you."
So they had met before. Emerald just hadn't expected him to realize it so quickly.
"You're sharp," he said, studying her. "You even managed to slip past the psychologist's evaluation. But the real reason for her extreme mood swings… is you."
