•Silverhowl Kingdom•
[Ovelia's POV]
The wagon rolled through the palace gates, and the sounds of the kingdom washed over us—merchants calling out their wares, children laughing, the clatter of carts on cobblestones. People lined the path, waving and smiling, welcoming us home just as they had when I first arrived here with Ace.
But something felt different now.
I watched the crowd more carefully. The way their cheers swelled for Ray—louder, fuller, more enthusiastic. Their smiles lingered longer when they looked at him, stretching wider, reaching their eyes. Mothers lifted their children higher so they could see him. Old men tipped their hats with genuine warmth.
And when their gazes shifted to Ace—something in their expressions dimmed.
