Elyra

When my phone buzzed with a message from Mother, I already knew it wasn’t a request, it was a summon.

“Come to the house. Now.” That was all it said.

No hello, no reason. Just her usual command wrapped in cold words.

I should’ve ignored it. I should’ve turned my phone off and disappeared into the city like I used to dream about as a kid.

……

The marble floors of the estate echoed with every step I took. The high chandeliers overhead sparkled like icicles, untouched and untouchable, just like everything else in this house. This place wasn’t a home, it was more like a  shrine to me....