Chapter 20
449 Words
PENELOPE POV
“My father is dead.”
Julian’s voice echoed through the shattered library.
For a heartbeat…
Everything stood still.
Then, just as suddenly as it had begun—
The shaking stopped.
The roar beneath the mountain vanished.
The cracks spreading across the walls froze where they were.
Dust settled slowly onto the floor.
Silence.
Heavy.
Absolute.
The castle no longer trembled.
Raphael slowly exhaled, as though he had been holding his breath for years.
“…It’s over.”
I looked around the ruined library.
Nothing moved anymore.
The strange symbol that had burned across the floor had disappeared completely.
Even the freezing wind was gone.
It was as though the castle had taken one final breath…
…and fallen asleep.
Julian stood in the doorway, unmoving.
His face revealed nothing.
Not anger.
Not grief.
Nothing.
Only silence.
Raphael bowed deeply.
“Your Majesty.”
Julian’s eyes shifted toward him.
“I’m not the King.”
“The House says otherwise.”
For several long seconds, Julian didn’t answer.
Instead, he looked past us, toward the dark corridor beyond the library.
His voice, when it came, was low.
“When I was a boy…”
He paused.
“My father told me something.”
His jaw tightened.
“‘Kings do not mourn while the kingdom is still standing.’”
The words settled over the room.
“He said grief is a luxury a king earns only after his people are safe.”
Julian let out a slow breath.
“So I won’t mourn today.”
Something in his voice made the silence feel even heavier.
Raphael lowered his head.
“The Council will already be gathering.”
“I know.”
“The princes will be waiting.”
“I know.”
“The kingdom needs its King.”
Julian finally looked at Raphael.
“For one more hour…”
his voice was almost a whisper,
“…I’m still his son.”
No one spoke.
Then Julian straightened his coat, wiped the blood from his temple with the back of his hand, and every trace of emotion disappeared.
The grieving son was gone.
In his place stood the Crown Prince.
Or perhaps…
The King.
He turned toward me for the first time.
“Our paths cross again soon, Penelope.”
Before I could answer, he walked out of the library.
Raphael followed after him but stopped at the doorway.
Without looking back, he said quietly,
“The castle sleeps now.”
I frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“The King’s death ended what you felt.”
He looked down the dark corridor.
“But sleep…”
He hesitated.
“…never lasts forever.”
Then he left.
- Writer
