"DON'T YOU EVER HANG UP ON ME LIKE THAT?! I WAS SO FUCKING WORRIED THAT YOU WERE CAUGHT!!"

Elara screamed so loud my eardrum almost burst.

I yanked the phone away from my ear, wincing. “Jesus, Elara. Relax.”

“RELAX?!” she shrieked. “I knew something was going on! You literally vanished! And when I called, you just hung up on me?!”

I sighed, leaning against the hallway wall. “I was busy.”

A dead silence stretched on the other end.

Then—

“Oh. My. God.”

I closed my eyes. Here we go.

“Evie.” Her voice dropped to a whisper, but it was worse than the screaming. “Tell me. Right now.”

I swallowed. “Tell...