Chapter 21

~ Rayel’s POv

A part of me wanted to roar in frustration, to lash out at the unfairness of it all. Elara was gone, ripped from this world in a way that I still could not wrap my head around. And now, Hazel, the reminder of our desperate situation, of the weight of expectation that threatened to crush me. It all felt too much for me to deal with.

"Hazel," I mumbled, my voice thick with emotion, "You're not to blame for any of this."

Her words echoed in my mind - a laughing stock. Shame burned in my gut. Could I truly be so callous, so consumed by my own grief that I wouldn't consider Hazel's feelings? She had been by my side for years, a pillar of strength, enduring whispers and sideways glances with a quiet dignity.

I held her tighter, the warmth of her body a grounding presence in the chaos of my emotions. "Look at me, Hazel," I said gently, cupping her face in my hands. Her red-rimmed eyes met mine, filled with a vulnerability and pain I hadn't seen before.

She must have been feeli