Chapter 42 - How About We Mate Tonight

The bells of the citadel struck twelve, their deep bronze chimes echoing through the stone corridors. It was noon on the third day, and the heavy, stagnant silence that had settled over the royal wing during Valex's absence was suddenly shattered. From the balcony of the small solar, Odesse heard it first—the sharp, rhythmic clatter of hooves on the cobblestone courtyard below and the distant barked orders of the captain of the guard. Servants scurried through the galleries, their arms laden with fresh linens and steaming pitchers of water. The scent of roasted rosemary and heavy meats began to drift up from the kitchens, replacing the faint smell of old parchment.