Aurora’s P.O.V

As soon as I gently closed the door to Riley’s room, the air around me felt lighter than it had a few minutes ago. Maybe it was the sheer weight of emotions I had tried to bottle up while Riley’s wide, innocent eyes stared back at me, asking questions I couldn’t give answers to—at least, not yet. But thanks to Ashton’s explanations, the tension had now dissipated and Riley was sound asleep on his bed.

Ashton stood silently beside me in the dim hallway, ...