THorne
I have outlived empires by knowing when not to act.
That is the doctrine I have repeated to myself through revolutions, wars, betrayals, and the slow erosion of centuries. Patience is survival. Detachment is a strength. Restraint is wisdom.
It is a convincing philosophy.
It is also a lie I reach for when fear settles too deep in my chest—when restraint feels less like discipline and more like cowardice disguised as strategy.
Tavany stood near the edge of the rooftop, the city blazing beneath her like a fallen constellation. Wind pressed her coat against her frame, outlining the steadiness of her posture. Shoulders squared. Chin lifted. Shadows are quiet but attentive around her ankles.
Anyone watching from afar would think she was untouched.
They would be catastrophically wro
