The palace was quieter than usual. It wasn't silent, but settled. As if it, too, understood that something small and important was adjusting within its walls. Selene stood near the cradle, watching Camille sleep. The name still felt new in her chest. "Camille," she whispered to herself as a gentle knock sounded at the door. Selene glanced toward it, her hand instinctively resting on the edge of the cradle.
For a moment, she simply listened, to the quiet breathing of her daughter, to the faint rustle of movement beyond the chamber walls. Another knock. Unhurried. “Enter,” Selene called softly.
The door opened just enough for Evangeline to step inside. She carried herself the way she always did; composed and observant, but there was something knowing in her expression. “She’s here,” Evan
