At the limit

"What is it?" I said when Lavi didn't speak.

My clothes were sticky with sweat. The thoughts of a warm bath before the grand ball kept drifting in and out of my head.

"Earlier. Why did you say that?"

I arched a brow. "Say what? Oh, you're still mad about that thing with your brother? It was unladylike, I know. It was a spur of the moment—"

"Not that." He shook his head slightly. "When I called you a witch, you didn't even bat an eye. Your face usually contorts with objection every time I called you that."

For a while, I only gaped at him with a disbelieving look. "Are you actually hearing yourself right now?"

"I am. And I am aware that you probably think of me as a child right now." He released a rough breath. "But I don't care. I need to know what caused this change."