Aurora’s POV
The throne room was massive and cold, the air thick with the stench of blood and smoke. Black stone walls stretched high above, lit by fire torches that flickered with an eerie, red glow.
I sat stiffly on the throne Caleb forced me into, my hands gripping the dark armrests so tightly my knuckles turned white. The jagged crown on my head dug into my scalp, sharp enough to make me wince.
Caleb paced in front of me, giving orders to his creatures and soldiers, but I barely listened. My gaze moved over the towering pillars, the strange markings glowing faintly on their surface. There was something strange about this place—like the castle itself was breathing.
“This isn’t my home,” I muttered under my breath, glaring at the creatures that bowed to Caleb. “But it feels… familiar
