{AURORA'S POV}
The air was damp with mist, and the faint chill of dawn clung to my skin as we gathered at the edge of the sanctuary. The moon still lingered overhead, pale and reluctant to give way to the rising sun. All around me, witches and warlocks adjusted their cloaks, tightened the straps on their packs, mounted their horses, or braced themselves for the long march ahead. The air buzzed with a quiet tension, the weight of departure pressing heavy on every heart.
I walked beside Riven and his mother, Rhea, matching their pace. Ever since Riven opened up to me yesterday, he felt… different.
Changed in my eyes.
I noticed things I didn't before. The way he steadied his mother's arm when the path grew uneven, the way he shifted his pack to the side so others could pass more easily, the way his gaze lingered on people, as though weighing their burdens alongside his own. Little things, quiet gestures, but they spoke louder than any words could.
At the front of the procession, Morganna rode on a white horse. Her silver hair glimmered faintly as she sat tall. Her mere presence seemed to carry the hundreds of us forward.
As we neared the sanctuary's threshold, dread settled heavy in my chest. I had only been in Nevermoor for three days, yet it had become something of a refuge. I wasn't ready to let it go. My eyes lifted to the arch of trees that formed the barrier. A shimmering haze rippled across it, the magic veil that shielded us from the eyes of the world.
One by one, we crossed. I felt the barrier wash over me, a sudden tingle at the back of my neck, like invisible hands sweeping me clean of its protection. And then, we were outside.
The others stopped, turning back to gaze at the arch. The silence deepened. It was like standing at the grave of a loved one. You didn't want to leave, but you couldn't stay either. Even the horses pawed the earth restlessly, as though sensing the weight of farewell.
Morganna's voice rose above us all, steady and commanding. "Come, my brothers and sisters. Our journey has only begun and time is not on our side."
With that, she urged her horse forward, and the company moved with her.
I glanced back once more before stepping into line.
Not long after, I spotted Kai, Eris, and Vivienne ahead of me. For the first time since yesterday, I drifted away from Riven's side to join them. They greeted me warmly, packs slung over their shoulders, their faces set with determination.
"How do you feel?" I asked.
Vivienne raised a brow. "About what?"
"Leaving Nevermoor," I replied. "It's been your home for a while, hasn't it?"
"Ten years," Kai replied, his voice low but steady. "I was eleven when Morganna and a few others found me."
Eris exhaled heavily. "Nine years for me. I was twelve when I first came to Nevermoor. The memories… they were good while they lasted."
I nodded, then turned to Vivienne. "Vivienne, what about you?"
Her face twisted with irritation. "Can you just stop?" she snapped at me with a harsh tone.
"Must you know everything about everyone? You ask way too many questions and quite frankly, it's incredibly annoying!"
I was shocked by her outburst. Before I could even respond she quickened her pace, leaving us behind.
"Yikes," Kai muttered. "Someone clearly woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."
"What just happened?" I said in disbelief. "I didn't say anything bad, did I?" I asked, confused. "It was just a question."
Eris tilted her head thoughtfully. "Vivienne came to Nevermoor before either of us. I think she was seven at the time… maybe eight."
Kai's expression softened, his gaze fixed on the red-haired girl already well ahead. "Nevermoor wasn't just a place to hide from persecution and oppression. It was a sanctuary for healing. Everyone who came there carried something with them—trauma, grief, loss. Sharing it helped. Talking with others who understood what it felt like… it gave people a chance to move forward."
His voice trailed, heavy with meaning. "That was never the case with Vivienne."
"She's never spoken about her past," Eris added quietly. "Never let anyone in. Whenever someone tried to reach out, she pushed them away. And she's still doing it. Carrying on like nothing happened."
I looked at Vivienne again, her shoulders squared against the world, her back refusing to bend. My heart ached for her. "That's… sad."
"It is," Kai said with a faint smile. "But there's nothing we can do about it. Vivienne is like—"
"Wait." I cut him off, holding up a hand. "Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Eris asked.
I pressed a finger to my lips. The others hushed. All around us, conversations faltered. The entire procession seemed to halt, as though an unspoken instinct had rippled through the crowd.
Then I heard it clearly. The steady, rhythmic thunder of hooves in the distance.
So many of them.
In that very moment, goosebumps erupted, rippling all over my skin. My blood ran cold and the hairs on the back of my neck stood.
The witches glanced around, trying to gauge the direction the sound was coming from. The forest seemed to hold its breath.
Up ahead, Morganna sat tall in her saddle, her golden-green eyes narrowed and searching. The first slivers of sunlight pierced through the canopy, illuminating the fog that curled around the roots of the trees.
The sound grew louder and closer with every passing second.
And then, a hand slipped into mine.
I looked down, startled, then up at him.
Riven.
The look in those amber eyes told me what I didn't want to admit out loud.
We both knew.
The dread that had whispered in the back of my mind was now undeniable.
The witches stirred uneasily, gripping staves, blades, charms. The air vibrated with tension.
From the crest of a distant hill, they emerged on black horses descending in perfect formation in blackened armor. Their faces were hidden behind helms that gave them the look of soulless wraiths. A cavalry of darkness, descending with deadly purpose.
The Severance.
My throat tightened. My fingers closed around Mira's locket, clutching it as if it could shield me.
Riven tugged his scarf up over his face to cover it up, his hand already on the hilt of his sword.
My gaze locked on the approaching riders, my heart rapidly beating in my chest. And for the first time since we left Nevermoor, I truly understood our sanctuary was gone.
Out here, only war and death waited for us.