Chapter 55 The Invitation

• ~ Elara ~
• I sat in the council chamber, my eyes fixed on the stone floor, tracing the intricate patterns beneath my boots. The weight of everything was pressing down on me - the expectations, the uncertainty, the constant tension that surrounded me like a fog. Being here, in this room with Thorne and Isolde, felt like I was trapped in a place I didn’t belong. The quiet murmurs of the others in the chamber barely registered as I tried to focus on my breathing, anything to stop my mind from spiraling.
• Thorne stood across from me, tall and composed, his face a mask of authority. His expression was unreadable, but I could sense the tension in his stance, the way his hands curled into fists at his sides. Isolde was seated beside him, her presence radiating disapproval, as always. She didn’t even try to hide the disdain she had for me, her sharp gaze flicked to me every now and then, a reminder that she didn’t want me here.