The frantic scratching at the handle stopped instantly, the sudden silence on the other side of the wooden barrier proving that his threat had hit its mark.
For a moment, the only sound was the faint creak of the floorboards as Amelia shifted her weight, processing the terrible reality of a spell-less day.
From the other end of the door, Amelia let out a low, frustrated purr that quickly devolved into a disgruntled grumble, her small voice carrying a mix of irritation and profound betrayal that she didn't even attempt to mask.
She kicked the bottom of the door one final, half-hearted time—just enough to let him know she wasn't happy about the arrangement—before her heavy, dragging footsteps began to fade down the narrow corridor, signaling her retreat back toward the safety of the living room.
Noah remained sitting on the edge of his mattress, his shoulders dropping by a fraction of an inch as the domestic storm outside his sanctuary finally passed.
