Aurora's POV
The silence after the guard's announcement felt heavier than any load.
A messenger… from the Third Crescent.
The words echoed in my head colliding with everything I had been trying not to think about. Catherine. My sister. The one whose name felt like an abomination now.
I didn't move.
If I moved too quickly, the hall would see fear. If I moved too slowly, they would see doubt. And right now, Deephowl didn't need either.
Stefano's hand brushed mine, subtle but comforting. The bond hummed low and steady, reminding me that whatever came next, I wasn't standing alone.
"Bring him in," Stefano said, his voice carrying easily through the hall.
The doors opened with a groan that sounded along with my nerves.
The messenger was young. Too young. Barely past his first shift, by the look of him. His clothes were travel-worn, boots caked with dried mud and ash, his scent sharp with exhaustion and fear. He knelt immediately, pressing his forehead to the stone.
