Melody
The echoes of the court still lingered in my mind as I made my way through the winding halls of Mallory Palace, my thoughts fixed on Zoraya.
The court session had dragged on far longer than I anticipated, my advisors hounding me with endless reports and squabbles. But throughout it all, my heart remained elsewhere, tugged back to that small, quiet room where Zoraya lay recovering.
I had left her reluctantly, her pale face still vivid in my mind, her breathing shallow but steady as I’d smoothed her hair and whispered that I would return soon. I didn’t want to leave her side, but duty had called.
Now, as I approached her door, a chill ran down my spine. Something felt off. The corridor was too quiet, the air heavy with something I couldn’t name. And then I saw her.
Elena.
The s
