{AURORA'S POV}
The light swallowed everything.
It wasn't just bright. It was consuming.
Like the world itself had cracked open and poured blinding rays into my eyes. My body felt weightless for a breath, like I'd been torn apart and thrown through the sky. Then it all collapsed.
The next thing I knew, my knees hit soft ground. My lungs burned as I sucked in air that smelled of pine and rain. When my vision stopped swimming, I realized we were in a clearing—a vast, green hush surrounded by towering trees. The walls of Heron were far off in the distance, barely visible through the mist and fading sunlight.
Birds scattered from the treetops at the sudden intrusion. I blinked hard, forcing my eyes to focus.
My mind spun. Everything had happened so fast. The light… the screaming… the blood.
Then Kai's voice cut through the ringing in my ears.
"Vivienne!"
