DAVE
Elara had been unusually quiet since her meeting with Emmeline last night. She didn’t share any details, but I didn’t need to be told that things hadn’t gone well. Her smudged makeup and red, swollen eyes told me everything I needed to know.
Worry had gnawed at me all night. I was so concerned about her that I ended up right outside her door, refusing to leave her alone. Through the wooden barrier, I could hear her muffled sobs and at one point, the sound became unbearable, and I couldn’t stand it any longer. I went in, sat by her side, and held her until her cries quieted and she finally drifted off to sleep.
This morning, my hand instinctively reached for the spot where she had been lying, but all I felt was the cold, empty mattress. It was clear she’d been gone for a while. Con
