My heart pounds in my chest as I step through the towering gates of Magnus's stronghold. The air around me is thick with tension, the weight of the past pressing down on every step I take. The path ahead is unfamiliar and dangerous, but I can’t turn back now. I’ve come too far and risked too much. I won’t let Magnus control me again.
A sharp breeze ruffles my hair, but it does little to cool the heat rising in my veins. I glance behind me, meeting Elias's gaze across the courtyard. His presence is like a steadying force—his power, his confidence, they all flow through me, making me feel less like a pawn and more like a queen. But this—this is my battle. My fight.
I take a deep breath and keep walking.
The grand hall looms before me, the stone walls and cold, unyielding architecture a sy
