Chapter 60

• ARIA
• Dinner with Elara ended quietly, and I went back to my room drained. Every step felt heavy. When I closed the door, the emptiness greeted me, and I was grateful for it. No voices. No expectations.
• Since learning what was wrong with me, I had not had a moment alone. Everything had moved too fast. Now the silence pressed in, and my chest tightened. The truth settled deeper. All I wanted was to fold in on myself and cry until the ache dulled.