The ballroom’s music shifted into a slow, elegant waltz, the kind meant to open the night’s festivities. The melody curled through the air like silk, soft and haunting, weaving itself into the palace's very bones. The enchanted orchestra played from a raised platform, their instruments glowing faintly with moonlight. Each note shimmered like frost, drifting through the air and settling over the crowd like a spell.
Nobles drifted toward the center of the floor, forming graceful pairs that moved with practiced ease. Their gowns swirled like petals caught in a gentle breeze, their steps perfectly synchronized. The scent of jasmine, moon flowers, and ancient magic filled the air, thick enough to taste.
But the space around Elara remained conspicuously empty.
Every realm was watching her.
W
