Chapter 46

Maren

The house smelled the same as it always had—lavender detergent, lemon polish, and the faint undertone of coffee that had seeped into the walls over years of mornings. But stepping through the door now, Kaelen close behind me, it didn’t feel like home. It felt like a stage, and the words waiting to be spoken would change everything.

Mom wrapped me in a fierce hug before I could say anything.