Aurora’s POV
I wake up breathing fire. Air burns my lungs as if I’ve been underwater for too long. My chest jerks, and I gasp, sharp and panicked, my heart slamming so hard it hurts.
“Aurora, easy. Easy.” The voice reaches me before sight does.
Zayne…My eyes flutter open, the world swimming in and out of focus. White light. Stone walls. The faint hum of magic in the air. My body feels heavy, sore, but… warm. Alive.
I suck in another breath, slower this time. “Zayne?” I croak.
“I’m here,” he says instantly, closer now. “You’re safe. I’ve got you.”
My vision clears just enough to find him. And my heart breaks.
He’s sitting beside my bed, hunched forward like he’s been holding himself together with sheer will. His eyes are bloodshot, dark circles carved deep beneath them. His hands are
