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★★★
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE:
A BLISSFUL DAY
★★★
The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a dull glow across the room. Aurora blinked awake, her body sluggish, her mind foggy. For a second, she had forgotten everything—the weight pressing on her chest, the aching emptiness where something precious had once been. But then it all came rushing back.
Harry. The shore. The words she had forced out of her own mouth. I need to do this on my own. Her stomach twisted violently.
She rolled onto her side, expecting to see Sirius or Magnolia sprawled somewhere nearby, their presence an odd sort of comfort in the storm of her emotions. But the room was empty. The blankets where they had been sitting the night before were left slightly rumpled, but there was no sign of them now.
Aurora exhaled shakily. The loneliness settled over her like a second skin.
She wasn't sure why, but waking up to find them gone left her feeling hollow. It had been strange—finding comfort in them, in Sirius's quiet understanding and Magnolia's soothing words. She hadn't realised just how much she had needed them last night, how much she had needed someone to just be there.
She pushed herself upright, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. The weight of exhaustion clung to her, but there was no time to let it consume her.
Today was day one.
Seven days. That's all she had left before she left the island behind.
Before she left everything behind.
Aurora swung her legs over the edge of the bed, inhaling deeply. She felt as though she needed to make the most out of it.
Aurora had barely taken a step toward the door when it creaked open, and Hestia slipped inside. The young woman carried herself with quiet grace, her expression unreadable, though there was something softer in her eyes than usual. She shut the door behind her, pressing her back against it as she studied Aurora.
"Well," Hestia said after a moment, crossing her arms. "You look like hell."
Aurora let out a dry, humourless chuckle. "Good morning to you too."
