114 Long Due

Jonah and Sirona were banished back to their original rooms whereas Atticus brought Daphne back to the room they were supposed to share. He shut the door behind them once he had placed Daphne down on the couch and chucked Sirona's pillows and blanket back at her. Only when they were alone once more did his expression finally relax. 

Daphne waited in silence, chewing on her bottom lip as her fingers fisted the fabric of her dress. Her eyes fell anywhere but at Atticus, losing all of the fight and vigor that he had ever known in her. 

"That's not the Daphne I know."

"Huh?" Daphne looked up in surprise at the sound of Atticus's words, meeting his gaze. 

He stood by the door still, arms folded across his chest as he leaned against the doorframe. 

"Where's the fight? The fire?" he asked. "You were never like this before coming to Raxuvia. What happened to the Daphne that would boldly argue her point no matter how small the issue was?"