Chapter 242 Shady Aurora

*~Leon’s POV~*

Boom!

A violent jolt ripped through me, and suddenly, I wasn’t in that hell anymore.

I blinked, my chest heaving, my ears ringing from the noise. The smell of rain hit me next. Cool air. The sound of rustling trees.

And then I looked up…The High House stood before me, tall and looming in the fading light.

My breath caught in my throat. “Wait… what?!”

I looked down, expecting to see her, Aurora beside me. My heart froze when I didn’t. My hands were empty.

“Aurora?” I whispered.

There was no answer…She was gone.

I could still feel the faint warmth of her touch lingering on my skin, She must’ve known she couldn’t teleport us both. And yet—she’d done it anyway.

She’d chosen me.

It hit like a blade to the chest. Aurora chose me. She stayed behind.

I stumbled forward, scanning every shadow, hoping—begging—to see her appear beside me. “Aurora!” I screamed. “Aurora!”

“Leon? Is that you?”

The voice pulled me around. Lilith stood at the gate, wide-eyed, clutching one of the twins in her arms. Relief flooded her face.

“Leon’s back!” she shouted. “He’s back!”

Within seconds, the doors of the High House burst open. Hazel, Caspian, Cayden, came rushing out, their expressions a mixture of shock.

“Where is Aurora?” Hazel demanded, her voice trembling.

I shook my head. “I—I don’t know. She was holding my hand. She cast a teleportation spell. I thought she’d bring both of us back, but…” My words tangled in my throat. “She must have only had enough power to move one.”

Hazel rushed at me the moment the words left my mouth.

“What?!” she screamed. “Are you saying Aurora is still with them? And you couldn’t bring her back? How could you, Leon? How could you?”

Her voice shook the hall. I couldn’t even look her in the eyes. My hands trembled as I sat heavily on the bench, staring at the floor.

“I promise you…” My voice cracked. “I don’t know what happened. I swear, I tried.”

Hazel’s sobs filled the room. Caspian and Cayden hurried to her side, trying to calm her, but she was inconsolable.

That was when Sirius moved closer. His steps were quiet—too quiet—but his eyes were blazing.

“Hazel,” he said, his tone firm but steady. “Let me talk to him.”

She turned away, tears streaking her face.

Sirius faced me fully, his jaw clenched tight. “I don’t like seeing my wife in that state,” he said. “So, please—get yourself together and tell me exactly what the hell happened. How did you get back here? And how did the twins manage to return on their own?”

I swallowed hard. “When you all chose to split up and search the roads,” I began slowly, “I knew it wouldn’t work. So I went to Christian. I knew somehow he’d be able to locate his sister. And he did. He took me to her.”

Their eyes widened, but I continued.

“Magic took me to wherever Aurora was,” I said, voice shaking. “And… that same magic brought me back.”

I rose suddenly from the bench, the weight of realization crushing me. “We need to find her immediately. She’s not safe.”

I could still hear Darius’s words in my head, the threats, the promises of what he’d do to her. My stomach burned with rage and dread.

“This is bad,” I muttered. “This is hell. We have to go now.”

“So what are you saying we should do?” Alice asked. “How do we find her? Through Christian?”

She stepped forward and carefully took Christian from Lilith’s arms, setting him gently on the table.

“Hey, Christian,” she whispered, crouching beside him. “Your auntie needs you, okay? You know where Auntie Aurora is, right? You can find her again?”

The little boy stared blankly back at her, his big blue eyes calm and expressionless.

“Good boy,” Alice said, her voice trembling. “Now take us there. Please, show us where she is.”

She hurried off and returned with a glowing map, unfolding it in front of the twins. She pressed their small hands onto the parchment.

“Show us wherever she is,” she begged. “Please.”

Christian only blinked, his face empty. He looked exactly like any baby would when an adult is speaking nonsense. He didn’t understand.

Alice bit her lip hard, desperation filling her eyes. She reached for Heather next, setting her down beside her brother.

“Alright, you two,” she said softly. “You’re twins. You have a connection. You know where your aunt is—show us. Please.”

The room went silent, waiting.

Nothing happened.

The twins only stared up at her, completely still.

Alice’s shoulders slumped. She dropped the map, her eyes welling with tears.

Lilith rushed to her side. “Don’t give up, Alice,” she said quickly. “We’ll find Aurora. I swear we will.”

Alice shook her head slowly, falling to her knees. “No,” she whispered. “She’s not coming back.”

Her voice broke completely. “She’s gone. Aurora’s gone. I’ve lost her again. After all these years of searching for her… she’s gone. Just like that.”

Then, the High House door opened, and someone familiar stepped inside. Red hair. Green eyes. Small stature.

Aurora’s sister?

“Aurora?” a voice called out, and everyone turned toward the door.

She slowly entered as Alice rose to her feet, completely stunned. “Aurora… is that you? Please, tell me—is it really you, Aurora?” she said, her voice trembling with disbelief.

Aurora nodded faintly, and everyone gasped. Alice rushed forward, running straight into her sister’s arms, and the two embraced tightly.

But Aurora looked different. Her hair was a little shorter, and she was wearing a gown she hadn’t been wearing earlier that day—when she’d teleported me.

Hazel rushed forward next, and the triplets all sighed in relief, while Lilith held the twins close to her chest.

I was the only one who didn’t move. Still frozen. Still stunned.

Everyone else was crying or smiling, overcome with relief.

“I knew you wouldn’t stay there,” Alice said, tears streaking her cheeks as she hugged Aurora again. Both sisters were crying now.

Aurora turned her head slightly and looked at me. A smirk curved on her lips—then faded almost instantly.

Alice and Hazel were already guiding her upstairs, fussing over her.

“Wait—what just happened?” I muttered under my breath. “Why did she smirk at me?”

And why was her hair shorter?

Something felt off. There was a strange, unsettling energy about her.

But I pushed the thought away. She was back. That was all that mattered.

She must’ve smirked because I’d doubted she’d return. That had to be it.

I turned around—and saw Sophia and her sister chatting beside me.

“Leon!” She called.

That’s how I know my day is ruined.