Chapter 356. The Human Way

Apphia’s POV

I groan before I can stop myself, the sound low and involuntary, dragged out of me by sheer irritation and something far too sharp to be dismissed as annoyance alone. Ciaran’s words echo in my head, replaying themselves like an unwanted melody that refuses to fade. The moment the sound leaves my lips, I regret it.

All eyes turn to me.

Not just Ciaran’s sharp, predatory gaze, but Tamara’s calculating one, the blonde’s curious stare—and Lily’s. Lily, who tilts her head ever so slightly, amusement flickering across her expression as if she’s watching an experiment unfold in real time. As if she’s gauging a reaction she already suspects exists.

“Do you have something to say?” Ciaran asks, her smile stretched thin, her teeth clenched so tightly I can almost hear them grind. Her eyes glare at me with op