ELARA’S POV:

Even the water I drank wasn’t calming me enough. It did little to that. I dropped the glass onto the sink with a gentle clink and rushed out to the living area, where my mother was seated. She had just ended a phone call, one we both knew she wasn’t supposed to make.

“Mother, that was unwise,” I said, placing my frustration in every word.

She turned sharply, eyes blinking rapidly at me. “How dare you speak to me in such a manner, Elara!” Her voice was sharp ...