Nathan gave me one last, helpless look before the trio whisked him away, his figure vanishing into the dim hallway. As the quiet settled, I felt a gentle tug on my arm.
Madam May's arm slipped through mine, pulling me toward her office with that familiar, affectionate roughness. "Now then, spill it, little Freya," she teased, eyes gleaming with nostalgia. She shut the door behind us and turned, still grinning. "What brings you back here after all these years? You've come a long way from that stubborn little kid tagging along with her crazy mother."
I leaned against her desk, arms crossed, allowing the memories to drape over me like a familiar old coat. "The 'crazy' is gone now, Madam May. I grew up, survived some bruises, and learned the rules of this city."
A glint of understanding softened her gaze. "And yet here you are," she replied knowingly, studying me with that shrewd eye of hers. "Life in the big leagues isn't all it's cracked up to be, is it?"
