Elara sat curled up on the bed, staring blankly at nothing.
Emma sighed and walked back. She climbed onto the bed beside her and started talking about random things—old school memories, silly pack gossip, the time Leo fell into the fountain during training.
Little by little, Elara's shoulders loosened. A tired laugh slipped out of her.
Not long after, her words began to slur.
Emma pulled the blanket over her and brushed the hair from her face. She stayed in the chair beside the bed, watching until Elara's breathing turned soft and steady.
When she finally returned to her own chamber, the silence pressed hard against her chest.
She lay down, but sleep never came.
The intercom light blinked once.
She stared at it.
Brandon.
The light blinked again.
Emma turned her face away and pulled the blanket higher. After a while, the light stopped flashing.
