Aurora's mind raced with the witch's warning. Damon had kept secrets from her, dark ones, but she had come too far to simply turn back. One night, when Damon was away in the shadows of the dream world, she found Isolde in the castle gardens.

"What are you offering?" Aurora asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Isolde smiled, her eyes gleaming with power. "Freedom. I can sever your bond with him, break the connection between you and the roses. But... there's a price."

Aurora's throat tightened. "What price?"

Isolde's smile darkened. "Your soul. Once the bond is broken, you'll no longer belong to this realm, but you'll never belong to the human world either."

Aurora's heart pounded as she weighed her options. Could she really give up everything for a chance at freedom? Or was Damon's hold over her too powerful?