CHAPTER 355 ROCK BOTTOM

Elora’s footsteps echoed softly against the cobblestone path, her heart heavy from the happenings of the day. The cool night air clung to her skin, doing little to soothe the heat of pain burning beneath the surface. Each step felt like a punishment, a reminder of how badly she had miscalculated—of how everything had unraveled the moment she led Claire into that council meeting. What had she been thinking? She inhaled deeply, trying to steady the guilt roiling in her chest, her hands tucked further into the pockets of her pants as she picked up the pace. The dim light of the crescent moon illuminated her path; her night was deceptively quiet, a stark contrast to the storm raging inside her. She was supposed to be the protector—the one who kept everyone safe, yet all she had done was lead them straight into the fire. She thought of Fawn, her sweet, sarcastic, and fiercely independent little sister who she had promised she’d be there for the Autumn Moon Ball, and looked at her in