Liora did not slow as she made her way through the lower corridors of the palace, though her body clearly wished she would. Each step still carried a faint weakness, a reminder of the days she had lost, but urgency pressed harder than exhaustion. Crown Princess Seraphina was gone, already on her way to the Forbidden Forest, and every moment Liora wasted here only widened the distance between them.
By the time she reached the stable quarters, her breathing had steadied. The scent of hay and leather filled the air, grounding in a way the quiet infirmary had not been. Stablehands moved about with practiced ease, tending to horses, adjusting harnesses, preparing carriages for those with authority to command them.
Liora stepped forward without hesitation.
"I need a carriage," she said, her voice firm despite the slight strain beneath it.
