{Elira}
~**^**~
That night even after our study session had ended and we had returned to our dorm room, my roommates and I were still quiet in a way that felt heavy, without the usual tired chatter.
I sat on my bed, knees pulled close, staring at the faint scuff marks on the floorboards. The Council's voices still echoed in my mind, sharp and smug, each laugh replaying until my chest ached.
A part of me wanted to tell Zenon, Lennon, Rennon. To reach for them in the bond and pour out my anger and shame, let them hold the weight I couldn't set down alone.
But the thought of dragging them into this — of giving Regina even more threads to twist — made my stomach tighten.
I wanted the brothers to hear of it, yes. I wanted them to demand answers, to see through the cruelty. But I wasn't ready to place this burden at their feet. Not while I could still carry it.
