Chapter 11. The Blora Errand

Celeste’s POV

I was halfway through washing the dishes in the dimly lit kitchen when I suddenly heard Nora’s voice echoing down the hallway, sharp and urgent as a clap of thunder. She screamed my name with such force that the plates slipped from my hands, clattering loudly into the sink. Without a second thought, I dashed toward her room as fast as a cheetah on the hunt, fully aware that failing to arrive within five minutes would bring dire consequences.

By the time I reached her door, my lungs burned and my heart pounded in my chest. Pushing the heavy oak door open, I practically stumbled inside. Nora sat perched on the edge of her large, canopied bed, her long legs crossed beneath her. A thin, satisfied smile curved her lips as she flipped through the pages of a leather-bound book, barely sparing me a glance. I forced myself to stand tall and composed, hiding every trace of relief that threatened to spill across my face—one small slip could mean punishment.