Aurora’s POV
The battlefield was quiet in a way that scared me more than the screams ever did.
Smoke still crawled across the broken ground, thick and bitter, burning my lungs with every breath.
The war was over. That was what everyone kept saying. But as I dropped to my knees beside Alan’s body, it didn’t feel over at all. It felt like the world had cracked open and forgotten how to breathe.
“Alan,” I whispered, pressing my hands to his chest. Warm blood soaked through my fingers. Too much. Far too much.
His eyes fluttered, unfocused, glassy. “Rory…” His voice was barely there, like the echo of a man instead of the man himself.
“Don’t talk,” I said quickly, panic crawling up my throat. “Save your strength. I’m here. I’ve got you.” I frowned, looking at him.
I tore a strip of fabri
