The weeks that followed Julian's proposal were the happiest of Elara's life.
She floated through the days in a haze of joy, her engagement ring catching the light whenever she moved. Julian was attentive, loving, everything she had ever dreamed of. They spent their evenings planning their future the wedding, the foundation they would build together, the family they would create.
But beneath the happiness, a shadow lingered.
Victor Kane's words echoed in Elara's mind: There are people out there, people you can't even imagine, who will make you pay. And then there was the note that had arrived after Chen's death: The Serpent is dead. Long live the Serpent.
She tried to push the thoughts away. She tried to focus on the joy of her engagement, the promise of a new beginning. But the unease
