The bathroom door closed behind Tara with a soft click, leaving me alone with Elodie once again. Her mask of sweet compliance vanished instantly, replaced by a look of pure contempt.
"I thought you'd want privacy for our little chat," she said, her voice dripping with venom.
I stiffened, forcing myself to stand my ground despite the alarm bells ringing in my head. "There's nothing to discuss, Elodie. Your accusations are baseless."
"Baseless?" She let out a harsh laugh. "Oh, I have more than just suspicions now."
I watched as she reached into her clutch, pulling out a small velvet pouch. My heart hammered against my ribs as she loosened the drawstring and tipped something into her palm—a small, blood-red crystal that caught the light with an unnatural glow.
"Do you know what this is?" she asked, holding it between her fingers like a precious jewel.
I kept my expression neutral despite the cold fear spreading through me. "Should I?"
