Elara’s pov "Isabella, listen to me," I said, my voice rising with a sharp, jagged edge of panic. "I am not being dramatic. I’ve checked three different points. I can’t feel the secondary rhythm. The pulse of your child isn't found. It’s just... it’s not there." Isabella stared at me for a heartbeat, her eyes wide, before she suddenly burst into a peal of sharp, melodic laughter. She threw her head back, the sound echoing off the stone walls of the chamber. "Oh, Elara," she gasped, wiping a stray tear from the corner of her eye. "Truly, you have a flair for the macabre. Is this your new tactic? Trying to scare me into submission?" "This isn't a tactic!" I snapped, my hand still trembling where it rested against her silk gown. "I am a trained healer. I know the difference between a sleeping pup and a void. There is no life-sign, Isabella. None." "Stop it," she said, her laughter dying instantly, replaced by a cold, hard sneer. "It must be some kind of joke you’re making to get bac
Last Updated : 2026-09-22 Read more