Chapter 221

AURELIA’S POV I didn’t stop to think—I just ran. My bare feet thudded against the polished floors of the grand hall, the air thick and suffocating in my lungs. My heart was still pounding from the weight of his presence, from the way his aura had crashed over me like a storm determined to drown me. I needed to get away. Away from his touch, his words, that smirk that promised I wasn’t leaving unscathed. But fate had a cruel way of throwing daggers. Because the moment I turned the corner, I crashed right into someone. The scent of lilacs and smoke hit me before I even registered her face. Seraphina. Her hands clamped down on my arms to steady me, but instead of concern, her expression was painted with amusement. Her lips curled, and her eyes gleamed with something I couldn’t name—something that made my stomach twist. “What’s wrong, Aurelia?” she asked sweetly, though the glint in her gaze betrayed her tone. “Why are you running like that? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” I swallowed