Aurelia let out a soft, weary groan as the thought of the vault returned with renewed weight, pressing against her chest as though it had been waiting patiently for her attention.
Of all the matters that demanded her focus, of all the dangers and responsibilities that surrounded her, it was that single promise that clung to her most stubbornly.
The promise she made to Vaelric....her beautiful boy.
Her heart tightened at the memory of his bright eyes when she had assured him she would be there, standing among the watching crowd, seeing him through one of the most important moments of his young life. Even now, the promise echoed in her mind with the stubborn innocence of a child who had taken her words to heart without hesitation.
And yet reality refused to be kind, she was not his biological mother and not Stormborne by blood. Which meant she would not be permitted inside the vault itself.
