Elara's pov
I felt a slow smile stretch across my face before I even opened my eyes.
"You're smiling."
The voice made me bolt upright.
Mai was sitting at the edge of my bed, her eyes red-rimmed and her hair a tangled mess.
"Mai! You scared me," I breathed, clutching the silk sheets to my chest.
"You were smiling in your sleep, Elara," she said, her voice hollow. "Like you were in a completely different world. A better one."
I felt a flash of guilt, thinking about the night I'd spent in Killian's quarters while my best friend was clearly falling apart. I reached out, taking her hand. "I was just having a good dream. Life at the pack... it isn't as bad as I thought it would be, Mai."
I studied her face. Mai had been withdrawn ever since the tournament began.
"Mai, talk to me. Tell me what's wrong. You've been like this for days."
"It's nothing, Elara," she whispered, staring at her lap.
I shook my head. "No. It's not nothing. A problem shared is easier to carry."
