|| Lilac's POV ||

Madeline was half-drunk, her cheeks flushed and her laughter louder than usual. Elara wasn’t far behind, her words slightly slurred but her wit as sharp as ever. Astrid and I were more restrained, nursing our drinks and enjoying the chaos without fully succumbing to it. It was the kind of night I needed—a distraction from the storm raging inside me.

“So, when did it all start?” Madeline asked, her voice carrying a tipsy lilt as she leaned forward, her ...