Page 34 of Upon a Dream

Aurora watched as Millie’s expression shifted from curiosity to surprise. Tristan’s words seemed to awaken something within her, like a dormant ember of interest flickering to life. “You intend to stop Midas?” she murmured.

Tristan nodded. “Yes. If we can find a way to eliminate Midas’ golden touch, we can weaken his power and protect my kingdom.”

Millie’s eyes widened, amusement swirling within them. “Aurora is helping youkillMidas?”

“No one said anything about killing him.” Aurora’s tone was low but firm. “Uncovering Midas’ secret will simply give Tristan leverage to stop the war. He seeks a peaceful resolution, not bloodshed.”

Millie studied Aurora, her gaze piercing through the layers of doubt and mistrust between them. “If I were to help you,” she said cautiously, “I have a condition.”

“Anything,” Tristan hurried to say.

But Aurora didn’t respond. Instead, she stared Millie down as though they were competing on who blinked first.

“No more manipulations. No more using people as a pawn in your schemes,” Millie said with an air of defiance. “Tell Tristan the truth.”

Aurora’s heart dropped to her stomach at Millie’s demand, and a tense silence settled on them, hanging heavy in the air.

“We don’t need your help,” Aurora spoke through clenched teeth. “All we need is for you to give back what you stole.”

Millie flashed a sarcastic smirk. “Well, I have learned from the best.”

“Millie, please,” Tristan interjected. “I understand that there’s bad blood between you two, but in the end, we all share the same goal.”

Millie’s laughter rang out, a bitter and hollow sound that reverberated in the room. “Bad blood,” she scoffed, her eyes glinting toward Aurora with a touch of amusement. “If only he knew the irony of his words.”

Aurora could sense Tristan’s gaze darting between her and Millie, searching for some sort of clarity, but Aurora couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze.

“Why don’t we shift our focus toward our common goal?” he continued. “We all want to defeat Midas.”

“Except, that’s not what Aurora wants,” Millie blurted out, her voice sharp. “In fact, she couldn’t care less about what happens to Midas because she knows she’s never getting out of here.”

Tristan’s brows furrowed, and he turned to Aurora, his eyes imploring her for an explanation. “What is she talking about?” he asked.

Aurora’s silence lingered, a heavy weight tensing her muscles. She grappled with the decision to reveal the truth, knowing that it would irrevocably alter the course of their plans.

“A little word of advice, Tristan,” Millie said, a glimmer of warning shining in her eyes. “If you continue to blindly believe everything she says, you’re destined for a tragic end. They always do.”

Aurora shook her head, unable to recognize the fairy who had once been her friend. “When did you develop such a mean streak?”

Millie’s lips curved into a bitter smile as she picked up a dagger from the table, twirling it with a calculated grace. “Loneliness has a way of shaping a person. You should know that better than anyone.”

Aurora’s heart sank, the memories of her past eroding her resolve. She fought to regain her composure, unwilling to be consumed by the darkness that threatened to swallow her sanity. “Just because I have my own reasons for pursuing that secret,” Aurora hissed, “doesn’t mean Tristan won’t be able to wield it to his advantage as well.”

Millie’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you filling his head with false hope? You and I both know that you’re the only one capable of getting close enough to Midas to truly defeat him,” she argued. “If Tristan so much as breathes a word of blackmail to Midas, he’ll be turned into a lifeless statue of gold and sent right back here with no hope of return.”

“You underestimate him,” Aurora insisted. “He possesses a strength that surpasses all of our expectations.”

Millie’s response was firm, her gaze unwavering. “He still deserves to know the truth.”

Tristan rested his elbows on the table. “You don’t have to talk like I’m not here, you know?”

Millie’s grip tightened around the dagger still in her hand, her gaze shifting toward Tristan. “Fine,” she replied with a dismissive shrug. “If you insist.”

Aurora’s muscles tensed as she stared at the dagger. “What are you doing?” she asked.

The fairy’s indifference sent shivers down Aurora’s spine. “What? He’s as good as dead anyway,” Millie said callously.

At that, the fairy hurled the dagger toward Tristan’s chest. Time seemed to slow as panic seized Aurora’s mind. Acting on instinct, she reached out, her hand closing around the blade just before it could pierce Tristan’s skin. Pain radiated through her palm as the sharp edge sliced into her flesh, but her grasp prevented the knife from reaching his beating heart.

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