Chapter 31: Seeds of Resentment

Enara's nails dug sharply into her palms, grounding her as she fought the surge of irritation bubbling within her. The laughter, muffled yet unmistakable, leaked through the walls and fed an unfamiliar ache that she had no desire to confront. Daena, a stranger from the shadows, had only just arrived in her life, yet here she was, laughing freely with Liria, the infuriating human girl who'd somehow snagged her family's attention within mere days.

It was ridiculous. Enara knew she had no reason to feel anything about their closeness, or about the fact that they were enjoying each other's company in a way that made her stomach twist. But still, she hated it.

Her gaze flickered over to the two servants stationed at her door, both of them shuffling nervously under her glare. She noticed them flinch as she turned her attention fully on them, and that familiar sense of power the only kind she truly controlled flickered into existence.