Aurora’s POV
I was slumped against the cold stone wall of my chamber, my body aching, my skin still raw from Caleb’s touch. Every nerve screamed in protest, but it wasn’t Caleb who stood in front of me now—it was Lola.
Her eyes glinted in the dim torchlight, sharp and cold. She circled me like a predator, her claws lightly scraping the floor.
“You think you’re clever, sitting there like that,” she hissed. “I could end you in a heartbeat.”
I lifted my chin, refusing to cower. “I’m not afraid of you,” I said evenly. “And you should remember something, Lola—you’re just a tool. You’ve been used for power you barely understand.”
Her eyes flickered, uncertainty flashing behind her anger. She growled low in her throat. “I… I’m not—”
“You are,” I interrupted. “Every move you make, every step
