Callista's POV:
The air in the room had settled into an uneasy quiet, with only the soft sounds of Lucien's excited chatter as he showed off his new tech gadget to Simon, Xavier, and Phelia. The little boy's giggles filled the space, lightening the mood, but there was always that heavy, lingering weight of worry in the background. The tension from the past days hadn't fully lifted.
Suddenly, amidst the soft voices and playful distractions, we heard it.
A groan.
It wasn't from Aurelius—he was still locked in his silent vigil, staring at Aurora's still form with that haunted, hollow expression. No, this was different. It was faint but unmistakable.
It came from the bed.
We all froze, the sound cutting through the air like a knife.
Lucien's small voice faltered mid-sentence, his wide, curious eyes darting toward the source. Phelia, Simon, and Xavier exchanged quick, disbelieving glances. It was as if time itself had stopped, holding its breath.
A second groan—this one louder—followed, and then Aurora's fingers twitched.
I stood frozen, my heart hammering in my chest.
Then it happened.
Her eyelids fluttered, barely noticeable, but enough to make my breath catch in my throat.
"Aurora…" I whispered, barely able to believe it.
Aurelius shot up from his chair like a man possessed. His hands trembled, his expression morphing into something wild and desperate as he moved toward the bed. His eyes, red-rimmed and full of exhaustion, widened in disbelief.
"Aurora?" he breathed, voice cracking like fragile glass.
She groaned again, a low sound escaping her lips as her chest rose and fell shallowly. Her face was still pale, her body fragile, but it was real.
A miracle.
Her eyelids fluttered open fully, and for the first time in days, there was something more than just a shallow breath. There was a spark—just a flicker—but it was there.
Aurelius leaned forward, his face breaking as tears filled his eyes.
"Aurora…?" he whispered again, his voice barely audible as if he were afraid that if he spoke too loudly, she might vanish again.
Slowly, almost imperceptibly, Aurora turned her head toward him. Her eyes met his—tired, confused, but aware.
"I…" she whispered, her voice cracking as though it had been dormant for far too long. "I… what happened?"
Aurelius couldn't answer right away. He only reached forward and took her hand in his, his body shaking violently as if the weight of the moment was too much for him to bear.
"You're safe," he choked out. "You're safe now, Aurora. You're home."
She blinked up at him, her gaze unfocused for a moment before her lips parted in confusion.
"Where's Lucien? Is he... okay?" Her voice was weak, but there was the old determination in her eyes that had always been there, even before everything went wrong.
Lucien, who had been holding onto Phelia's hand tightly, jumped forward with a huge grin on his face, eyes sparkling despite the exhaustion that marked his small face.
"Aurora!" he exclaimed, running over to her side. "I knew you'd wake up! You're just like a sleeping beauty!"
Aurora's gaze softened as she looked at her twin, her lips curving into a weak but genuine smile.
"I'm glad you're okay, Lucien…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Aurelius, still clutching her hand, looked between his sister and his twin brother. He couldn't help but let out a shaky laugh, his tears streaming freely now.
"I… I thought I lost you both…" he murmured, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he pressed his forehead to hers, holding her hand tightly as if he feared she would slip away again.
"I'm here, Ariel," Aurora whispered back, the nickname he had never been able to escape, even as they grew older. "I'm here."
And for the first time in days, there was something resembling peace in the room.
Although Lucien and Aurora were twins, I couldn't help but notice how much more mature Aurora seemed, despite the fact that they were only six years old. Maybe it was the circumstances—their lives had been shaped by so much hardship even before the captivity—but there was something about her. It wasn't just in the way she spoke or the way her eyes held a certain depth, but in the way she carried herself. Even now, with exhaustion lingering in every corner of her body, there was a quiet strength in her that Lucien still lacked, though it was only natural.
Lucien, still small and innocent, bounced on his heels, his eyes wide and full of wonder, still caught up in the joy of his sister's return. But Aurora—despite her fragility—carried a weight in her gaze that belied her age. She looked at him, smiling faintly, but there was an understanding there that no child should have to bear.
I watched them for a moment, and even though they were twins, the contrast between them was impossible to ignore.
"Lucien," I said softly, as he continued to babble excitedly beside Aurora's bed, "You've got a lot to learn from your sister."
He looked up at me with innocent curiosity, tilting his head. "What do you mean?"
I smiled a little, my eyes flickering to Aurora as she rested against her pillow, her eyes still clouded with the remnants of pain and exhaustion but more alive than she'd been in days.
"Your sister," I said, a hint of pride in my voice, "She's already grown in ways that are beyond her years. You should cherish that."
Lucien seemed to take that in for a moment before glancing back at Aurora, his big blue eyes filled with awe. "Is she... like... a superhero?" he asked with all the sincerity only a six-year-old could muster.
Aurora smiled weakly at the innocent question, her lips curving up at the corners.
"No, little one. I'm just… your sister." Her voice was still soft, recovering, but it carried the quiet authority of someone who had seen and endured more than any child should.
Aurelius, still standing at her side, wiped the tears from his eyes and gave a soft chuckle. His gaze softened as he looked at the two of them—his twins—his heart both full and heavy.
"I never imagined this day would come," he whispered, almost to himself. "That we'd be here together, as a family again."
For a moment, the room was filled with nothing but the gentle sounds of the children's voices and the steady hum of life returning to a place that had been so broken. But in that silence, there was something precious—something rare. It was a moment of peace, of clarity, amidst the chaos that had torn their lives apart.
As the minutes passed, I could see the bond between them grow stronger. Lucien may have been younger, still pure in his innocence, but Aurora… Aurora was becoming the anchor they all needed. Her maturity, the wisdom that she held despite her youth, was something that both she and her twin would come to rely on.
And maybe, just maybe, it was her strength that would help guide them all through whatever darkness lay ahead.
End of chapter 19.