The room remained silent for a beat, everyone processing, some shaking their heads in disbelief, others exchanging incredulous glances. Harper, still flushed, looked down at her hands, trying to shrink into herself—but a small, triumphant spark lingered in her eyes.
Harper shrugged, a small, satisfied smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah… I had a good day.”
Maya’s shock melted slowly into something more complicated: awe, a flash of fear, and an odd, fierce gratitude. “Where… where is he now?”
Harper waved her hand casually, as if it were nothing. “Oh… just a small island not far from here. In a cave.”
Dahlia cleared her throat, eyes narrowing with a mix of curiosity and caution. “And who exactly is this Ethan?”
Harper bounced slightly on her heels, a bright, guilty grin spreading across h
