Chapter 51 — Whispers in the Dark
The fragile peace after coronation lasted less than three days.
The Obsidian Throne's halls buzzed with barely contained tension. Servants moved quickly, heads lowered. Guards patrolled in doubled shifts. Every shadow felt watched. Cairis spent long hours in strategy chambers, reinforcing defenses and reshuffling loyalists into key positions. Liora, meanwhile, carved out time in a secluded obsidian courtyard deep within the fortress, training relentlessly with her unstable hybrid powers.
The soul bond linked them constantly now — a warm, steady pulse that offered comfort even when they were apart. Yet it could not silence the growing whispers in the court.
On the afternoon of the third day, an envoy arrived under a flag of parley.
