[Lavinia's Pov]
"Alright, you bunch of overgrown toddlers—I'm gonna start counting! Everyone hide, and I mean really hide this time!" I spun around dramatically, slapping both hands over my eyes like I was in some tragic play.
"No peeking! That's cheating!"
The garden echoed with the muffled sounds of grown men shuffling around—grown men with swords, shiny armor, and absolutely zero hiding skills.
"Ten… nine… eight…" I began in my most serious voice, dragging out every number like I was casting a magical spell.
It's been nearly two years since that whole elf-trafficking incident happened. Time… ugh… time has this way of just whooshing by when you're not looking, like a squirrel stealing your last cookie.
"Seven… six… five…"
