The Breaking Point
The most painful part of the betrayal isn't the elders—it's the peers. Elara realizes that her "friends" were instructed to keep her distracted, to keep her happy, and most importantly, to keep her small.
When Kaelen forces her to look back at the village through his "True-Sight" lens, she doesn't see a quaint hamlet. She sees a web of glowing ethereal ley-lines, all originating from her own cottage and stretching out like leeches into the barns and bellies of every villager.
"They didn't love you, Elara," Kaelen whispered, the gold in his eyes flashing with pity. "They loved the harvest you provided. You weren't their daughter; you were their raincloud."
Should we write the scene where Elara confronts Elder Martha, or would you like to see how her magic reacts now that the "Muzzle-root" tea is finally wearing off?