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The flickering torches cast eerie shadows on the damp stone walls, making it seem as if the darkness itself was closing in on Aurora. Her eyes, once bright and full of life, now seemed to hold only a faint spark of hopelessness, her gaze fixed on the opposite corner of the cold, dark cell with a sense of resignation and despair. The silence was oppressive, punctuated only by the distant sound of dripping water and the faint rustling of unknown creatures in the shadows.

Aurora's eyes snapped into focus as Vela's figure emerged from the darkness, her eyes gleaming with a quiet determination. The sound of the rusty lock clicking open echoed through the cell, and Aurora's heart quickened as Vela's warm hands grasped her arms, pulling her to her feet .

Aurora's eyes snapped into focus as she turned to face Vela ,  her gaze burning with a mixture of shock and fury. "You," she spat, her voice low and venomous. "I thought I could trust you, Vela . I thought you were my friend. But it seems I was wrong." She took a step forward, her hands clenched into fists as she struggled to contain the emotions raging through her. "How could you betray me like this? How could you use me like this?"

"No , Aurora, you don't understand.  The queen forced us . We didn't want to betray you like that."

Aurora's anger and hurt boiled over, her eyes flashing with tears as she demanded, "Forced to? What does that even mean? You're telling me that you had no choice in the matter, that you were forced to betray me?" Her voice trembled with rage and despair, her body trembling with the effort of holding back her emotions.

"But that's just it, Vela - you did have a choice. You could have stood by me instead of selling me out like a piece of merchandise."

" Tell me, Vela .  Was everything just a facade ?

Vela's voice was laced with regret, his eyes dropping to the ground as he whispered,

"Yes, Aurora. From the moment we met, it was all just a lie. I was supposed to gain your trust and manipulate you into believing I was your friend, all so that I could deliver you to them."

" LIES , ALL THIS TIME , YOU BOTH WERE TRICKING ME AND LYING TO ME !"

"Aurora, please, don't say that," Vela's voice was laced with desperation as he took a step forward, his eyes pleading for understanding.

"It wasn't like that, I swear. I genuinely cared for you, I wanted to help you... but the order they threatened to harm my family, my friends... they said they would make me watch as they killed everyone I loved if I didn't cooperate."

"And what is this order?"  Asked Aurora.

She was having a hard time  staying sane. With the Dreamcatchers on her back , she had no idea where or how Jenkins was, and now some people named the order want suddenly want something from her.

Aurora sighed as she sat back down , putting her head in between her knees . Doing this always calmed her down.

" Look, Aurora , as soon as we get out of here , I'm going to tell you everything . Let's just get out first . The queen's guards must be coming soon ."  Vela spoke in a softer voice.

Aurora's mind was torn as she hesitated. The weight of her doubts and fears pitted against the reality of her situation. She knew she couldn't stay where she was, but going with Vela , who had betrayed her trust, felt like a betrayal of her own integrity. The uncertainty was suffocating, and Aurora's breathing quickened as she struggled to make a decision.

As Aurora's eyes locked onto Vela's, a sense of resignation washed over her. She knew she couldn't stay put, and the thought of being caught by the queen's guards was too terrifying to contemplate. With a heavy heart, she nodded, her voice barely audible as she agreed to follow Vela into the unknown.

The sudden ease with which Vela opened the lock was a stark reminder of his magical abilities, and Aurora's unease grew as she followed Vela  through the dimly lit servants' quarters The sound of their footsteps echoed off the stone walls, and Aurora's heart pounded in her chest as she wondered whether she had made a terrible mistake by trusting Vela once more.

As soon as they got out of the servants' quarter , Vela and Aurora were surrounded by a sudden attack of arrows   .

The sudden onslaught of arrows sent Vela and Aurora scrambling to find cover, their hearts racing as they darted between the dense foliage of the jungle. Vela expertly dodged and weaved, using his agility to avoid the deadly projectiles, while Aurora followed closely behind, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of their attackers.

The arrows continued to whizz past them, some striking the trees or thudding into the earth mere inches from their feet, but Vela and Aurora managed to stay one step ahead, their survival instincts on high alert as they fought to escape the deadly hail.

As the tree crashed down, Vela's eyes locked onto Aurora's, his expression a mix of anguish and determination. "Go, Aurora, run!" he yelled, his voice trembling with emotion. "Leave me, I'm not worth your life!"

He watched as Aurora's face contorted in a mix of fear and desperation, but she knew she couldn't leave Vela behind.
As Aurora's gaze lingered on Vela's desperate face, she felt a firm grip on her arm, pulling her away from the  chaos. She turned to see Zira's determined expression, and for a moment, she hesitated,  but as she looked back at Vela, she saw him shouting above the din of the arrows and the soldiers, his eyes pleading with her to leave.

"I'll find you, Aurora! I promise!" he yelled, his voice cracking with emotion.
Vela's heart felt like it was shattering into a thousand pieces as he called out again, "Aurora, don't look back!" but he knew she couldn't resist the urge to glance back at him, and his heart broke further as he saw her eyes linger on him before she disappeared into the underbrush.

As Zira and Aurora finally stumbled to a stop, gasping for breath and their hearts racing with adrenaline, the reality of their situation began to sink in. The silence was oppressive, punctuated only by the distant sounds of battle and the creaking of trees in the wind.

Zira's eyes locked onto Aurora's, and she saw the turmoil written across her face. "Aurora, I'm sorry," Zira whispered, her voice heavy with regret. "I know we had to leave, but..." She trailed off, unable to articulate the pain and guilt she felt. Aurora's eyes brimmed with tears as she stared at Zira, her mind reeling with the thought of Vela alone, fighting off the soldiers. "Why did we have to leave him?" she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion.

Zira's expression twisted in anguish as she realized that she had abandoned her own brother, her  own family, to face the enemy alone.

Zira's words were like a dam breaking, and the emotions that had been building inside her finally spilled out. She took a deep breath, composing herself as she spoke. "Aurora, there was no other choice. We couldn't have taken on the entire army alone, and we would have only put Vela in greater danger. We
had to leave.

Her voice was calm, but the words were laced with a deep sadness. She turned to Aurora, her eyes pleading. "But we can't give up. We have to try to get back to him. We have to make sure he's safe." The words hung in the air, heavy with uncertainty, as Aurora's gaze searched Zira's face.

Could they really make it back to Vela?

Was it even possible?

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Hello beautiful people ( ≧∀≦)ノ

Thank you so much for reading my book, and don't forget to vote and comment. (#^.^#)

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