{AURORA'S POV}
Morning came, but none of us had moved. We stayed in Heron all night, hidden in its shadows, waiting, hoping for something—anything. But the dungeon was empty, and we'd run out of time.
Now we stood in the crowd, pressed shoulder to shoulder with strangers. The streets overflowed with bodies, packed from the palace gates all the way into the heart of the city. Voices rose and fell around us with the restless energy of people eager for a spectacle.
The failure gnawed at my soul.
The mere thought that we came all this way only to lose him anyway… was gutting. When I glanced at the others, I saw it on their faces too—especially Kai and Vivienne.
We couldn't find him and now, as the sun climbed higher, his fate was sealed.
I glanced at the others. Kai's jaw was clenched tight, his eyes shadowed with defeat. Vivienne didn't even bother to hide the weight dragging at her shoulders. Even Eden looked pale, withdrawn. No one spoke.
