Chapter 88. No Apologies

Aurora’s POV

I couldn’t feel my legs as Caleb held onto me, his arm steadying me as I stumbled forward, each step dragging me closer to the reality I didn’t want to face. He’d tried to talk me out of this, his voice firm but edged with the kind of worry that made my chest ache.

“Aurora, you don’t have to do this,” he’d said, his hand squeezing mine just enough to anchor me. But I couldn’t listen. I’d insisted. I had to see him. The thought of not looking at him one last time, was unbearable. So here I was, my insides hollow, my breath catching with every sterile, metallic-scented step toward the morgue. Caleb was silent beside me, and though I could feel the tension in his every movement, he didn’t argue further.

The healer greeted us with a somber nod, her eyes flicking between me and Caleb, her lips pressed into a thin line. I couldn’t meet her gaze for long; it felt too much like acknowledging the truth I still wasn’t ready to accept. She led the way, her