Draven stood in the doorway, his massive frame framed by the twilight glow, his glowing molten-gold eyes sweeping over the scene. The heavy silence hung in the air for a long second, broken only by the innocent giggles of the children tugging at his thick fur cloak.
Oh, great. He's early. He's five entire days early. Did he ride a lightning bolt back from the North?! Look at him standing there looking like a brooding statue of doom while I'm holding a leather ball with flour on my nose. Act natural, Seraphina. Just act completely, utterly innocent.
I quickly tucked the leather ball under my arm and forced a bright, totally unbothered smile onto my face, taking a slow step forward. "Draven! You're back early. What a pleasant... totally unexpected surprise."
