Valerie was completely absorbed in examining his face in the mirror, his brow furrowed in deep concentration, so much so that he didn't notice Islinda's approach until she spoke.
"It's that bad, right?"
Startled, Valerie nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of her voice behind him. He turned to face her, momentarily taken aback by her proximity. He could see the worry etched into her features, mirrored in her wide eyes as she awaited his response.
"No," Valerie replied defensively, his tone firm as he refused to let Islinda shoulder the guilt for the incident. "You were struggling in your dreams. It's not just you. I must have clawed myself in the process," he claimed, attempting to ease her worries and absolve her of any responsibility.
But Islinda saw through his attempt to shield her from blame and couldn't bear the thought of him taking responsibility for what she had done.
