The palace of Crimson Ridge had never known such silence. Three weeks had passed since the battle at the Black Spire, and yet the echoes still lingered not in the air, but in the hearts of those who had survived it. The war left scars that even golden fire couldn’t burn away.
Elizabeth Stormborn stood at the highest balcony, overlooking the moonlit valley. Her golden hair danced in the breeze, eyes distant, tracking the stars above. Somewhere out there, remnants of the Forgotten God still drifted through the void. She had sealed it but ancient things never died easily.
She sensed it.
Felt it.
Like an ember smoldering in a far-off storm.
Lucian joined her quietly, wrapping a warm arm around her waist. “Couldn’t sleep?”
She leaned into his touch. “I don’t think I’ve truly slept since t
