Erick
The throne room had never felt so hollow.
The council had dispersed only moments ago, their footsteps echoing faintly down the marble corridors, but the silence that followed their departure was suffocating.
I remained seated on the high throne, its weight pressing into me not just the weight of leadership, but of loss.
My hands gripped the carved arms of the chair, knuckles pale against polished wood.
My gaze, however, was unfocused, drifting past the golden pillars and the vast ceiling murals.
In truth, I didn’t see any of it. My eyes were here, but my mind… my mind was far away.
Far away with my Luna.
My Sophia.
Her name lingered in me like a ghost, tugging at the deepest corners of my being.
Every hour of the day, every silent night, my thoughts found their way bac
