CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

ELARA'S POV

The walls felt too quiet. Too still. Like they were holding their breath with me.

“Did you hear anything?” I asked Valerie, my voice barely above a whisper.

She nodded slowly.

My heart sank. “Why did you not tell me about it?”

“You knew already,” she said gently.

“And it was too grievous to say.”

I looked away, my chest tightening. “Is there any more outrageous thing Elara has done… that I have done?”

Valerie hesitated. “Apart from ...