Chapter 24
No one moved.
The warrior stood frozen at the doorway holding the flower carefully between both hands like it might explode.
A black winter rose.
Perfect.
Dark.
Impossible.
The room fell completely silent.
Kael stared at it.
The elders stared at it.
I stared at it.
Because winter roses didn’t bloom naturally.
Not black ones.
And suddenly—
for reasons I couldn’t explain—
my chest felt strangely tight.
The warrior cleared his throat awkwardly.
“He left immediately after delivering it.”
Kael’s voice came calm.
Too calm.
“Who delivered it?”
“One of Black Hollow’s royal guards.”
Kael nodded once.
“Any message?”
The warrior hesitated.
Then slowly:
“Only this.”
He handed over a folded piece of dark paper.
Kael took it.
His eyes lowered.
His jaw tightened a
