Cassian's nerves were stretched to the breaking point, and he was certain the sweat beading at the back of his neck was visible now.
He gripped the edge of the table for support, plastering on his best noble-like smile. "It's, uh, a private matter," he said vaguely, praying she wouldn't pry further.
Instead, she gasped, her hands flying to her cheeks. "Oh, I understand! A secret mission, isn't it? How thrilling! You must be so important.
I just knew it the moment I saw you!" She moved closer again, and Cassian instinctively leaned back, almost toppling into the table behind him.
"I, uh, I wouldn't say that," he stammered, his voice a pitch higher than usual.
Before the girl could launch into another round of relentless chatter, a wave of murmurs swept through the hall, drawing everyone's attention to the staircase.
Cassian nearly sagged with relief as the girl's focus shifted, her sparkling eyes darting toward the commotion.
