Irina immediately crouched down and gently helped Mira back onto her feet, placing both hands on her shoulders as she looked into the woman's tearful eyes. "It's alright," she said softly. "You're safe now. I won't let anything happen to you. Nobody is going to hurt you again."
Mira nodded repeatedly, wiping the tears from her cheeks with trembling fingers as though she was still struggling to believe that she had actually been taken away from that house. There was still fear lingering in her eyes, but beneath it was something Irina had not seen there before: relief.
After a few moments, Mira glanced down at herself and seemed embarrassed by the state of her clothes. She hesitated before asking quietly, "Where… where can I take a bath?"
