RAGNA POV…
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Elina immediately felt dejected. She was proud of me and hated the idea of hiding her child, but the situation was forcing her hand. It felt like they might even attack me if given the chance.
As the atmosphere in the end shifted, I felt it before I fully understood it.
Low gasps rippled through the room, followed by scornful gazes sharp enough to scrape the skin. The waiting hall tightened, as though the air itself had grown wary of us. Families subtly edged away, creating distance as if proximity alone might curse them. Some women pulled their blankets closer around their children, hiding little faces and averting their eyes, as though I carried an unseen plague.
The murmur of the room grew louder—clattering whispers layered with judgment.
