ELYRA.
I stood by the window, my fingers trembling as I pulled the curtains apart just enough to see outside. The afternoon was quiet. Too quiet. The afternoon sun shone against the stone driveway, and the tall iron gates stood shut like silent guards. For a moment, I wished they would never open.
I let the curtains fall back into place and leaned my forehead against the cool glass. My reflection stared back at me, and I almost didn’t recognize the girl looking back.
The dress Radiel had sent earlier that afternoon was barely a dress at all. When the package arrived, I was confused. He hadn’t told me he was sending anything. I made the mistake of believing he was bluffing when he said what he said in the morning.
I was wrong.
The fabric clung to me like a second skin, thin and soft b
