{AURORA'S POV}
Even though I forced my eyes closed, I couldn't get a wink of sleep. Tangled in the sheets, I tossed and turned until I eventually gave up. Pushing the covers aside, I swung my feet to the floor.
I needed air.
The moment I stepped outside, the cool night breeze brushed against my skin, soothing in its quiet embrace. The sanctuary that had been so alive hours ago now slumbered in silence. No voices, no laughter, no music. Just the rustle of leaves overhead and the distant hum of insects.
I walked aimlessly until I found a tree at the edge of the clearing and sank down against it. My back pressed into its rough bark, grounding me. I clutched Mira's locket in my fist, staring at the moon.
The tears came silently this time. Not sobs, just hot, aching trails down my cheeks. My lips quivered as the images returned, unbidden. My parents' last screams. Mira's face, twisted in pain as those monsters—no, I couldn't even let myself breathe the thought fully. I pressed the locket to my forehead, trying to burn her memory into me, whole and untouched, not broken and bleeding.
But the darkness always crept in.
I didn't notice the footsteps until they were close. Voices too. They sounded hushed and urgent.
My head snapped up. The tears stopped, my body freezing. Slowly, I pushed myself off the ground, wiping at my cheeks.
The voices grew clearer as I moved, one foot silent in front of the other. Instinct carried me until I reached the edge of the sanctuary, hidden by the shadows of the trees.
And then I saw them.
Eris and Kai.
They looked like children caught with their hands in a jar of sweets, their eyes wide, bodies stiff the moment we locked gazes.
"A–Aurora" Kai stammered. "What… what are you doing here?"
"You should be asleep," Eris added too quickly, brushing invisible dirt off her cloak.
I glanced between them. Their faces were strained, nervous. My eyes narrowed. "What are you two doing?"
"Doing?" Eris repeated, her voice pitching unnaturally high. "We're not doing anything. We were just—uh—walking."
"At the edge of the sanctuary?" I stepped closer, my gaze falling to their clothes. Black cloaks, hoods drawn low. Every inch of them screamed suspicious. "You're dressed like that for a walk?"
Neither of them answered.
"You're going somewhere," I pressed. "Outside the sanctuary. And don't tell me otherwise, because you're obviously sneaking off."
Kai raised his hands defensively. "No, Aurora, we weren't leaving. We're just—"
"Sorry I'm late, guys. Now let's leave before someone sees—"
The voice made my blood go still.
I turned.
Vivienne.
Her stride faltered, her eyes locking on me like she'd just stepped into a trap. "…Oh." She tilted her head, her lips curving into a practiced smile. "Flora, is it?"
"It's Aurora," I said flatly.
"Right. Dahlia." She smirked like it didn't matter. "What are you um… doing here?"
My gaze flicked between the three of them. Their guilty expressions were almost laughable if I wasn't so suspicious. "You're not supposed to leave without Morganna's permission. You're sneaking off, all of you. So unless you tell me where you're going, I'll just have to inform her."
A silence dropped over us, heavy and taut. None of them spoke. None of them moved.
"Fine," I said, spinning on my heel. "I'll tell Morganna myself."
Kai's hand shot out and gripped my wrist.
"Wait." he said, sounding a bit desperate.
I turned back, narrowing my eyes.
He sighed, shoulders slumping as though the weight of a secret had finally crushed him. "Alright… we're going to Ivarra. There's a moonlight festival happening in the village just on the outskirts of Aradel. We just wanted to… you know, check it out. Have a little fun. We'd be back before anyone even noticed."
My gaze swept over them. Kai's sincerity, Vivienne's frown, Eris's half smile.
The silence stretched again.
Vivienne arched an eyebrow. "Well? Aren't you going to say anything?"
"Yes," I said, lifting my chin.
Kai leaned in slightly. "And?"
"I'm coming with you."
—
The night air was cool against my skin as we slipped between the trees. Kai, Eris, and Vivienne moved with the easy confidence of people who had done this before, while every step I took felt like a trespass.
Ivarra was closer than I thought it would be. The forest parted, and there it was.
Golden light spilling from lanterns strung across the village streets, music rising and falling like a heartbeat. Even from a distance, I could hear laughter and the ring of flutes, the thunder of drums.
The others quickened their pace, but my steps slowed. The closer we drew, the tighter my chest became. A sickly fear stirred in my gut, memories clawing their way up through the soil of my mind. The flames of my own village. Screams that never left me. The sneer of men who had stripped everything from me.
I wanted to turn and run.
"Hey." Kai's voice was low, careful. He fell into step beside me, his braids catching the faint glow of moonlight. "You okay?"
"Yes… I'm fine." The lie scraped my throat raw.
His brown eyes studied me, too perceptive for comfort. "Are you sure? You don't look okay."
I hesitated for a second, then let the words tumble out. "It's just… being this close to humans, it feels wrong. Like something terrible's about to happen."
Kai's hand brushed my shoulder, steadying. "Nothing's going to happen. Not tonight. You have nothing to fear, Aurora. I promise."
Eris threw me a crooked smile, her dark curls bouncing as she leaned closer. "Relax. Trust me, when we get to the festival, you'll be so busy having fun you'll forget you were ever scared."
"And one more thing." Vivienne's voice cut sharp through the night. She cast me a sidelong look, her hood shadowing her flame-red hair. "Try not to do anything stupid, Clara. Just act normal, so no one suspects there's anything… different about us."
With that, she lengthened her stride, walking ahead without a backward glance.
I blinked after her, heat rising to my cheeks. "She doesn't seem to like me very much, does she?"
Kai let out a breathy laugh. "That's just Vivienne being Vivienne."
Eris nodded. "She'll come around. She always does."
I wasn't convinced, but I said nothing as the music grew louder, the air richer with scents I didn't recognize—roasted meats, spiced cider, honey cakes baking somewhere close.
And then we were in Ivarra.
It was alive in a way I had never seen before. Lanterns strung from rooftop to rooftop bathing the entire village in a warm, golden glow. Fiddles sang from a raised platform where couples danced in quick, dizzying spins. Laughter and song twined through the air like smoke. Children darted between legs with sparklers, their laughter crackling as bright as the fire they carried.
My heart ached at the sight. "We never had anything like this in my village," I whispered.
Kai's smile was soft. "Then tonight's a first."
They tugged me toward a crowded stall where an old man sold steaming trays of honey cakes glazed to shining perfection. He pressed the sweets into our hands without asking for coin.
"May the light guide our spirits," he said warmly.
We echoed the words back, though I stumbled over them, unfamiliar on my tongue. The honey cake melted in my mouth, rich and golden, sweet enough to sting my teeth. For a fleeting moment, I almost forgot my fear.
Almost.
Vivienne shoved a mug into my hands. "Drink. Festival tradition."
I choked the moment the bitter froth touched my tongue, coughing until my eyes watered. Vivienne's laugh was sharp and delighted. "Light above, Clara. You drink like a child."
Despite myself, I laughed too, wiping my mouth. The sound felt strange, like it belonged to someone else.
We wandered the streets, swept up by the tide of music and firelight. I even caught myself swaying to the beat, dizzy in the whirlwind of it all. Kai, Eris, Vivienne and I eventually joined the crowd. Laughing, singing, drinking and dancing the night away.
At that moment I felt so much joy. I got so carried away that for the first time in days, I didn't miss my parents. I didn't miss Mira. I could finally relax and forget all the pain I've been carrying, even if it were just for a moment.
Then Eris nudged me with her elbow, smirking.
"Look," she whispered. "That one's been staring at you all night."
I followed her gaze. A young man across the square, broad-shouldered, dark hair curling around his ears, his eyes fixed on me.
Heat flooded my face. "He's not—he can't be."
But before I could finish, he started toward me.
Panic gripped me. I turned frantically to Eris and Vivienne. "He's walking towards us! Wha–what do I do? What do I even say?"
Vivienne muttered, "Try not to faint."
The man stopped before me, his smile disarming, and held out a single wildflower. "For you."
My hand trembled as I accepted it.
"I know every girl in this village, yet I've never seen you before," he smiled. "What's your name?" he asked, voice low and warm.
"Aurora."
"A beautiful name for a beautiful girl." He gently lifted my hand and brushed his lips against my knuckles. My breath caught in my throat.
"Would you like to dance with me?"
I smiled, ready to answer but before I could, I heard a scream.
A scream so raw, so shattering, it ripped the music clean out of the night. The entire square froze.
A woman burst through the crowd, clutching a child against her chest. Her eyes wild, her hair matted to her sweat-streaked face, she shoved people aside as if every second meant life or death.
Then came the sound of boots. Heavy. Metallic. Unforgiving.
Gasps rippled like waves across the villagers.
The Severance was here.
One of them bellowed, "Witch! Don't let her escape!"
Panic erupted. People scattered, screaming, the festival unraveling in heartbeats. The woman spun, trying to flee down another road only to find it blocked by witch hunters. She turned again just to get blocked by another group. Metal encircled her, closing tighter and tighter.
She clutched her son closer, his wails tearing through the night, and I couldn't breathe. Couldn't move. My heart pounded so loud it drowned out the chaos.
The Severance formed a ring around her, their blades glinting, their cloaks swallowing the lantern light.
The festival was gone. The joy, the laughter, the honeyed sweetness—all snuffed out.
It was just her. The boy. The hunters.
And me, standing there with tears burning in my eyes, my mouth parted with the weight of the horror we were all about to witness.