Chapter 37

• The pain in his voice pierced through her, and for a moment, Elara felt a pang of guilt. She had left him without an explanation, without a word. She had fled from the one person who had made her feel safe, who had protected her when everything else was falling apart.
• “I—I couldn’t, Damien,” she stammered, the words escaping before she could stop them. “I didn’t know who to trust. I didn’t know what to do. I thought I could figure it out on my own.”
• Damien’s eyes flashed, a mixture of frustration and something deeper—something darker. “On your own? Elara, you don’t have to do this alone. Not anymore. I’m here. I always have been.”