The corridors of the keep blurred around me as we pushed toward R'lissea. My heart pounded in my chest, hot and jittery with trepidation. Every breath caught in my throat, and the sound of my swishing tail rose between footfalls. No matter how hard I gripped my staff, my hands trembled.
Borealis nuzzled my cheek, his eyes glittering with worry. I swallowed the lump in my throat for what felt like the fifth time and petted his neck.
"S-sorry," I stammered, chewing on my lip. "It's just...what if she really does hate me? What if—" I shook my head, exhaling sharply. "Agh, I know. I need to calm down. It's just...I've never felt like this before. My chest feels so...tight. It was so much easier not to believe and–"
My voice caught as we passed an ornate door branching from the corridor. I turned slowly to face it, and a shudder coursed down my spine and tail. R'lissea's aura pulsed just beyond it. Muted voices drifted through the door, accompanied by the clink of dining ware.
