Elise´s POV
I returned home in a silence that tasted like defeat.
Before leaving, Lena had mentioned she would try to find a way to bring Riley back to us. And while I wanted to give her hope, I knew she’d only be wasting her time.
The renovations on the house were almost finished. At least in that, Lucian had shown some effort. By the time I arrived, I could move around the first floor with relative ease.
The teacup trembled in my hands. Not because it was heavy, but because my arms were exhausted. I had overworked them all day, and the damn kettle hadn’t cooperated. I set the cup down on the table with a sharp clink and sighed, frustrated.
“You’re pushing yourself too hard, Elise,” Freidis murmured in my mind. “You should rest.”
I ignored her advice. Rest, I thought bitterly.
Was
