Chapter 16: New Rules

Raelynn stood in her small room, the familiar scent of lavender detergent filling the air. It was a scent she had grown used to, one that had clung to her clothes and bedding for years. As she tossed her clothes into her suitcase, it hit her that she might never smell it again.

She didn't bother folding anything, simply tossing shirts, dresses, and jeans into the luggage in a chaotic pile. Her hands worked quickly, her fingers trembling slightly as she moved from her closet to the dresser, then back again.

Her vanity was next. She swept her makeup into a small pouch, not even bothering to sort through what she really needed versus what could be left behind. Lipsticks, powders, brushes—all of it went in. Shoes followed, then a handful of books, jewelry, and random trinkets that she couldn't bear to leave.