Chapter 27 – The Weight of a Crown
The council chamber was colder than usual, though the torches along the marble walls burned brightly. Aelion sat at the head of the long table, his crown placed in front of him rather than on his head. The gleaming circlet of gold seemed heavier than ever—an unspoken reminder of the expectations chained to him. The advisors argued back and forth: trade agreements, boundary disputes, whispers of rebellion at the southern borders. Their voices blurred together until Aelion barely heard them. His thoughts drifted to Kealen, who stood at his usual post against the wall, vigilant yet calm. Every time Aelion’s gaze flickered toward him, the steady warmth in Kealen’s eyes grounded him. Yet that grounding was also dangerous—because it made Aelion wish for things a prince was not meant to want.
- Writer
