Chapter 176

• Elvira
• The moment I opened my eyes, the dull ache was already blooming behind my temples. It pulsed like a warning drum, steady and slow, thudding in sync with my heartbeat. I groaned softly, pressing my fingers to my forehead, willing the pain to ease, but it was stubborn—as always. My headache had become a persistent guest these days, one that arrived uninvited and never stayed too long, but always left me rattled.
• Pack Tower felt unusually quiet this morning, despite the undercurrent of tension that had been lingering for weeks now. I threw on a light robe, my feet brushing against the cold marble as I moved toward the window. Outside, the sky was overcast, gray clouds rolling lazily across the horizon. A storm was brewing, though I wasn’t sure if it was in the skies or inside my own head.