Aurora slowly opened her eyes, tears spilling freely down her cheeks, her vision blurred with grief.
"Adrian… please, stay with me. Please…" she whispered, her voice hoarse, cracking under the weight of despair.
Adrian's chest rose shallowly, each breath more labored than the last. Blood stained the corners of his mouth, and his eyes—half-lidded, dimming—searched her face one final time, as though trying to memorize her.He reached out with a trembling hand and pressed a cold, rusted key into her palm.
"Take this…" he mouthed, voice too faint to be heard, "…you can use it… to leave this place."
"No, no, no. Don't do this," she murmured, clutching his hand tightly, as if sheer will could tether him to life.
"You're going to be fine, do you hear me? You're going to be fine."
But he was already slipping.His lips curled faintly into a ghost of a smile, a tear trailing down his temple. Then, with a final exhale that barely stirred the air, he went still.
