77

RAINA

My mother’s voice cut like a knife through the tension filled air. “You let her leave, Raina! How could you have let that girl slip away? Do you know what you have done?”

I tried to maintain a neutral, blank expression as I stood in the corner of the room, my fingers tugging at the hem of my sweater. But my stomach churned inside. “I didn’t let her leave, mom. She’s not stupid. If we killed her off just like that, everyone would be suspicious. She needs to trust me first and let her guard down. Then it’ll hurt more when it happens.

“Trust?” My mother scoffed, eyes narrowing as she moved closer to me. “That’s a stupid suggestion and you think she’ll trust you now, after running away like that? She didn’t even leave through the front door, Raina. She went through the window. She must have known something was off.”

I gritted my teeth and pretended not to feel anything. Astrid would have noticed something, of course. She was too aware, too cautious, always looking over her shoulder