Ember Frost’s POV

When we got back to Freya, the lunchbox was exactly where we had left it. She hadn’t touched it.

“Why haven’t you eaten anything?”

Freya lowered her eyes. “I… I’m scared.”

For a moment, none of us knew what to say. In the end, we gently coaxed her into opening the lunchbox. She needed to eat, especially with the midnight ceremony getting closer. The last thing she needed was to pass out from hunger tonight.

She took a few slow breaths before finally ...