Chapter 16 Fractured Trust

• Elara couldn’t hold the truth inside any longer.
• She slipped away from the lively group by the lake and found a quiet, secluded corner of the garden, surrounded by blooming flowers and tall trees. With trembling fingers, she dialed her grandmother’s number.
• Victorine answered almost immediately, her voice as sharp and commanding as ever. “Elara. I wasn’t expecting to hear from you so soon. How are you holding up in your father’s territory?”