Sitting in Zephara's office was like being trapped in a room that was too small, too warm, and too full of unnecessary noise. The ticking of the ornate clock on the wall seemed louder than usual, each second stretching out interminably.
I sprawled in the plush chair opposite Zephara's massive oak desk, my legs kicked out in front of me, arms crossed, and sighing every few seconds just to annoy her. It wasn't like I was doing it on purpose well, not entirely. I was genuinely irritated, but pissing off my grandmother was a pretty decent distraction.
Zephara, the matriarch of our family and a force to be reckoned with, was shuffling through documents, clearly trying to focus on something more important than my presence.
