Chapter 264. Bury the Truth

Aurora’s POV

I paced my room, arms folded tightly against my chest as the soft flickering glow of the bedside lamp cast long shadows across the walls. My fingers absentmindedly traced the edge of the pendant hanging around my neck—my mother’s necklace. It had been hers for as long as I could remember, a delicate thing with an emerald set in gold, the colors always shifting from green to gold.

Tonight though, it felt different. Heavier. Warmer. As if it held a secret that was burning to get out.

Dinner had been quiet, almost too quiet, like the calm after a storm that you know is just gathering strength again. Riley had chartered endlessly about the new turtle Avery had found—something about its shell being the color of dusk and how it blinked like it understood him. He was so excited, tugging at my sleeve and bouncing on his toes like he couldn’t wait for morning.

“Can I name it?” he’d asked me with those big eyes, still full of wonder despite everythi