Chapter 146

Elodie’s POV

I padded downstairs, my bare feet silent against the cool hardwood floors.

The smell of roasting vegetables and something sweet, Mom’s usual after-school concoction, hit me before I saw anyone. The living room was warm and softly lit, the kind of comfort that made me think of home as a sanctuary rather than a stage.

Mom was perched on the edge of the sofa, her hands resting on the s