Ravenna had grown accustomed to Seraphina calling her—"shorty"—used interchangeably with her name. In return, Ravenna often referred to Seraphina as stupid dog. It's mutual.
After a prolonged silence, the petite scholar spoke, her tone laced with complexity: "Your intuition has always been remarkably acute. Surely you've sensed it too... There's something peculiar about Ansel, isn't there?"
"..."
Seraphina remained silent, but her momentary deceleration was all the confirmation Ravenna needed. She had undoubtedly perceived it as well.
The atmosphere between them suddenly grew heavy with unspoken concerns. Whether it was Ravenna's profound understanding of Ansel or Seraphina's keen intuition, both were acutely aware of the subtle shifts in Ansel's demeanor.
