Her words halted my breath.
An epiphany dawned.
âMight you be speaking of Elsie?â
At the mention of my motherâs name, a smile crossed Camillaâs features.
âYes, thatâs surprising you know of Elsie.
She fled from the Silver Ridge Pack when she was but a youth.
I hope sheâs found peace.
â
My voice wavered, the past welling up.
âSheâs been lost to us for quite some timeâ¦â
Camillaâs smile waned, shadowed by sadness.
She turned sharply, her voice laced with curiosity.
âHow did you come to know Elsie? Eduardo was not one to share such details.
How is it you, so young, are privy to her story?â
In the silence that followed, I anchored myself to the truth.
âI am her daughter.
My name is Debra.
â
âElsieâs daughter?â As the reality of my words sank in, the frost in Camillaâs gaze gave way to warmth.
She studied my face, emotions etching across her own.
âTo see you all grownâ¦itâs as if time has slipped by unnoticed.
â
A tender smile touched her lips.
âYou bear a striking resemblance to Elsie, itâs uncanny.
Your eyesâ¦they mirror hers exactly.
That must be why your face tugged at my memory.
â
A soft chuckle escaped me, mirroring her sentiment.
âIt seems my father has often said the same.
I remind him a great deal of my mother.
â
Curiosity piqued, I wondered if Camilla held the key to my motherâs past mysteries.
âYou might know about my motherâs flight from the Silver Ridge Pack, right?â
Camillaâs reaction was a mix of contempt and cold humor.
âYour father, misled by idle chatter, detained your mother.
She was heavily guarded, making a solitary escape next to impossible.
I aided your motherâs escape, incapacitating the guards to ensure her freedom.
That act unveiled me.
â
My astonishment was palpable.
The idea of Camilla risking everything for my mother was unexpected and noble.
With newfound respect, I probed further, âCan you recount what transpired that day?â
Debraâs POV:
Camilla shook her head.
âYour mother didnât tell me why at that time.
She only mentioned she had to leave.
I had no idea where she was headed or what her plans were.
Yet, I did notice your mother departing with a figure dressed in a black cloak.
â
âA figure in a black cloak?â My interest piqued.
That figure in black had to be Gale!
âDo you have any other information?â I inquired eagerly.
Camilla gestured with her hand and explained, âI only witnessed their departure from the Silver Ridge Pack.
Their next destination was beyond my knowledge.
â
My fleeting hope dissipated instantly.
It looked like Camilla didnât have any additional insights.
Noticing my disheartened expression, Camilla continued, âEven though I didnât get a clear view of the figure and only caught a glimpse of her eyes, there was something oddly familiar about her presence.
â
âWhat?â I was taken aback.
Hope flickered in my heart once more.