"Every choice has consequences. Every mistake demands a reckoning."
The first light of dawn crept across the shattered courtyard, casting long shadows over the remnants of my mistake. Scorch marks marred the once-pristine stone, the air still heavy with the acrid scent of charred wood and shattered lives. The eerie silence of the aftermath was louder than any battle cry, and I stood in the center of it all, the weight of the destruction pressing against my chest like a vice.
“Lady Aria,” Edric’s voice came softly from behind me, but I couldn’t bring myself to turn. “The council is convening shortly. They’ll expect your presence.”
I nodded once, my throat too tight to speak. My hands were still trembling, though whether it was from exhaustion or the weight of guilt, I couldn’t tell.
“I’
