"A hero is not crowned in victory, but burdened with the weight of what they had to sacrifice to win."
The Return to Verauno
The city gates loomed ahead, banners tattered, streets lined with wary faces. Victory had been claimed, but at what cost?
The silence of the people spoke louder than any war cry.
Aria rode at my side, her cloak torn, her hands still dusted with the remnants of power she had wielded on the battlefield. Power that had saved us. Power that now made her feared.
"They’re staring at you," I murmured, watching as civilians lowered their gazes or whispered behind their hands.
Her jaw tightened. "They should be celebrating."
"They don’t know whether to kneel or run."
She turned sharply to me. "And what do you think they should do?"
I studied her. What do I think? Tha
