章 230: The Fallout

Elara hesitated, the fire in her eyes dimming slightly. "No," she said finally, her voice softer. "But I think we need to figure out how to talk to each other without it turning into... this."

Amara folded her arms across her chest, her jaw set stubbornly. "Well, maybe it wouldn't turn into this if you didn't spring things on me like a bad twist in a soap opera."

Elara's eyes narrowed again, her softer demeanor vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. "And maybe it wouldn't feel like a soap opera if you didn't act like the overbearing lead character in every scene!"

Amara's hand flew to her chest, feigning offense. "Oh, I'm the overbearing one? Says the woman who dropped 'I'm flying to another country' between bites of croissant like it's no big deal!"

"I didn't realize I needed to deliver every update in my life with a PowerPoint presentation," Elara shot back, her voice rising.