AURORA MOON
The first hush of twilight always felt like a promise. The day's heat softened, and Aurora, freed from her tight focus on colors and thread, wandered through the house barefoot.
She paused in the foyer, trailing her fingers over the velvet petals of a bouquet left by Aunt Rhong. She half-smiled, thinking of Kellan. She longed for his presence, the way he'd wrap his arms around her and settle the world.
She held her phone in her palm, rereading the last message: On my way. See you soon.
The line between anticipation and restlessness was thin.
She made herself eat dinner with Aunt Rhong, though her appetite was practically nonexistent. Afterward, Aurora returned to her studio, tried to sketch, but her mind wandered. She set down her pencil and pulled up the security feeds on her tablet.
