Lorraine's POV
I watched as Alistair walked off without turning back
I didn't even feel the blood dripping down my body anymore.
It dripped down my arms in slow trails, soaked into my pants, smeared across my collarbones, staining Astrid's jacket. The air outside had been cool, but I didn't shiver. I was too wired, too alert.
The walk to the academy hospital felt longer than it should've. Every step echoed against the marble floors as I entered. Heads turned. Whispers bloomed like gasps. The nurses paused mid-task. Eyes wide. Some froze. One dropped a clipboard. All of them stared at me like I was a creature dragged in from a battlefield.
Maybe I was.
I spotted them in the hallway, Astrid Voss and Director Thorn. They stood close, talking low, but the moment Astrid's sharp gaze snapped in my direction, I saw her freeze. She stepped forward quickly, eyes scanning me from head to toe.
