A Compromise

When the suffocating silence stretched into what felt like an eternity, leaving all hope seeming lost in the stale kitchen air, Maeve finally relented—but only by a fraction. She dragged her gaze away from Torin, turning toward her blonde best friend who stood quietly near the doorway.

"Brynne, please do me the favor," Maeve blurted out, her voice tight with desperation and exhaustion.

Torin let