"Zafron, you need to leave. The Enforcers will be here anytime soon. They might be—"
Cassandra's words trailed off as she rounded the corner, her eyes falling on the heartrending scene before her. Mara's lifeless form lay on the ground, Zafron and Matilda standing over her in shared grief.
Cassandra's face fell, the urgency in her voice replaced by a soft, pained exhale. "Oh no," she whispered, recognizing Mara from her visit to Zafron's house when he missed work.
With gentle steps, she approached the mourning pair. She knelt beside Zafron, placing a comforting hand on his arm. "I'm so sorry," she said, her voice thick with empathy. "I know how much she meant to you."
Zafron nodded, his jaw clenched tight as he fought to maintain his composure. Beside him, Matilda's shoulders shook with renewed sobs, tears streaming down her face unchecked.
For a moment, they all remained still, the silence broken only by Matilda's quiet weeping.
