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As his gaze shifted toward Tristan, Aurora could sense the tension in the air—the past and present colliding in a way she never thought possible.
“You got what you wanted. Now, give me the vial,” Midas’ demand sliced through the silence.
Aurora’s heart raced as she stood. “He won’t be giving you anything.” She held out her hand to Tristan, her resolve steeling her voice. “Give me the vial, and I’ll put an end to this once and for all.”
Midas’ expression twisted with bitterness. “Betrayed by my own blood. How ironic.”
Aurora’s spine straightened as she met her father’s glare with a steady one. “What can I say, it runs in the family.”
Tristan’s presence was a comforting anchor beside her, his unwavering support bolstering her resolve.
Midas’ attention shifted toward Tristan. “If you’re going to give her the vial, you should at least know the real reason she wants to do away with my gold.”
Midas’ words hung in the air. Aurora’s heart clenched as Tristan’s calm façade held firm. “The list is endless, I’m sure.”
Midas flashed a malicious grin that sent a shiver down Aurora’s spine. “True. But the first name on that list is… Hendrick.”
The very mention of that name sent a tremor through Aurora’s being. Memories surged, a tumultuous sea she had long tried to suppress.
“I already know about him,” Tristan's voice was measured. “She told me you turned him into a statue of gold.”
Midas’ grin only widened, his eyes glinting wickedly. “Did she also care to mention that I did that on their wedding day?”
The revelation struck with the force of a sledgehammer. Aurora’s chest tightened, and she struggled to breathe as the weight of her father’s words pierced through her.
Midas continued, each word a calculated strike. “And when she found out he had gone to the Dreamworld, she went in there after him. The reason she got trapped there was because she refused to leave without him. And I am fairly certain that while she was in there, she found out that if she took away my gold, that would bring him back to life. Hence, she used you to get her real prince back.”
The room seemed to close in around her, the reality of her actions crashing down like a tidal wave. Her throat constricted, and her vision blurred with unshed tears. “Don’t listen to him. You know that if I didn’t truly love you, your kiss wouldn’t have woken me up.”
Tristan’s gaze turned to her, his expression unreadable. “Is it true? Was there a wedding?”
Tears welled in Aurora’s eyes, her heart aching with the weight of her past. “Yes. But it was never officiated—”
“You were promised to a man in front of his kingdom, Aurora.” Tristan’s words were like shards of glass, slicing through her heart. “He may still be alive, and you led me to believe we could be together.”
Desperation clawed at Aurora’s chest, her voice trembling as she reached out to him. “We can, Tristan. Please, just listen—”
“Think like a king, Tristan.” Midas’ voice sliced through the tense air, a sinister temptation that ensnared Tristan’s attention. “Your kingdom is suffering right now. It needs resources to rebuild and restore. I can provide you with everything you need. In exchange for that vial.”
Tristan’s posture remained steadfast, his voice steady in the face of the offer. “I want an alliance of peace. Your kingdom and mine, joined as one. And you provide all the resources I need to rebuild the villages you destroyed.”
Midas’ agreement was swift. “You have my word.”
Aurora’s heart pounded, caught between the hope of a better future and the despair of what it might cost. The weight of the decisions hung heavily in the air, threatening to shatter the fragile balance that had been achieved.
“And lastly…” Tristan’s voice held a gravity that stole the breath from Aurora’s lungs. She watched, her heart in her throat, as he continued, “I want Aurora to be set free.”
Midas reached out his hand. “Done.”
Aurora’s breath caught as the vial passed from Tristan’s hand to Midas’, and in one swift move, Midas shattered the glass against the cold stone wall of the fireplace. The liquid within was quickly consumed by the hungry flames before vanishing into thin air.
Midas turned and gave Aurora a hard, narrow look. “If you ever return to this castle, you shall be imprisoned at once. From this moment on, you are no longer my daughter.” And with those words, he turned and walked away.
Aurora’s heart splintered. His final words hung in the air like a curse, like a final nail in the coffin of their fractured relationship.
As her father disappeared from sight, Aurora turned to Tristan, her heart raw and broken, seeking comfort in his gaze. But was met with a storm that raged within his eyes.
“Was it true what he said?” Tristan asked, his voice barely audible. “The reason you wanted to get in that tower was to find Hendrick?”
