Chapter 97

CLAUDIA. My first thought is not to open it. It’s most likely Achilles, coming to apologize and make amends. A part of me doesn’t want to hear that in fear of being fed excuses, but a bigger part of me—the part that refuses to be away from him—wants to hear everything out and forgive him. I want us to be good. I swing my legs off the bed, walking barefoot toward the door. I take a deep breath, ready to face Achilles, but it’s not him who’s standing at the other side of the door. It’s Sahari. “What are you doing here?” I ask immediately, my voice turning icy cold. She gives me a nervous smile, shifting her weight from one foot to another. She’s carrying a thermos in one hand and two cups with the other. “Hello, Claudia. I was just thinking about what happened the other night, and I want to say sorry to you. I want us to talk things through, if that’s okay with you. I got us some tea. Maybe we can walk around and get to know each other well.” She raises the thermos and the cups as