Chapter 11
Elara’s POV
The palace was too big, too polished, too suffocating.
Every morning I woke to the echo of bells and the faint scent of lavender oil carried by maids who never spoke unless prompted. The windows stretched high into the ceiling, spilling golden light across marble floors, and the air smelled faintly of incense. It should have been beautiful, awe-inspiring even, but all it did was make me restless.
I was not meant for gilded cages.
The first day I wandered, pretending my feet could carry me anywhere without a guard’s shadow at my back. The halls were endless rivers of stone and silk, each lined with portraits of grim men and proud women who had ruled centuries ago. Their painted eyes followed me, whispering a question I didn’t dare answer.
Who are you?
By the th
