Semua Bab Shadow's Essence : Bab 81 - Bab 90

Book 2: Crown of ShadowsChapter 29: The Road to TruthThe pre-dawn darkness concealed Xalara's true preparations while the palace staff made their usual arrangements for what they believed would be formal royal departure. She had listened to their carefully planned itinerary, nodded appropriately at their security briefings, and said nothing about the merchant wagons waiting in the service courtyard or the hand-selected guards who had sworn personal loyalty to her rather than institutional protocol.Three days had passed since her kingdom-wide crystal demonstration, and instinct warned her that royal travel would draw unwanted attention. People who hadn't witnessed her power firsthand might see a traveling queen as opportunity rather than authority. Better to let them focus on the wrong target while she learned what her kingdom actually looked like.The men she'd chosen for this journey had been selected as much through magical intuition as practical assessment. Her enhanced abilitie

Book 2: Crown of ShadowsChapter 31: The Empty CarriageThe formal royal convoy had been traveling for three hours when Prince Rowan first began to feel uneasy about the complete silence from the queen's carriage. No requests for stops, no communications about route adjustments, no responses to his periodic status reports. The sealed compartment that protected royal privacy was maintaining that privacy more thoroughly than usual."Standard travel pattern," he told himself, guiding his horse alongside the ornate carriage that bore royal insignia and appropriate ceremony. Her Majesty had seemed tired after the kingdom-wide crystal demonstration three days earlier. Extended rest during travel would be entirely reasonable for someone in her condition.But three hours of absolute silence felt excessive even for necessary recuperation."Your Majesty?" he called toward the carriage's curtained windows, pitching his voice to carry clearly without seeming to shout. "We're approaching the midda

Book 2: Crown of ShadowsChapter 33: The Hunt BeginsXalara followed the wagon tracks until they joined a main road that could lead anywhere. In the slums, she'd learned that predators always had a den—somewhere they felt safe, somewhere they could keep their prizes. These weren't desperate bandits. They were organized, professional. That meant a base.The nearest settlement was Millford, according to a weathered road sign. Small farming community where a pregnant woman traveling alone would draw sympathy instead of suspicion. Perfect for what she needed.First, she needed different clothes. The merchant's dress was too fine, marked her as someone with money. She found what she needed hanging behind a cottage—a worn work dress with loose fabric that would accommodate her growing belly, and a threadbare shawl. She left a silver coin in place of the clothes. More than fair.When she caught her reflection in a stream, a desperate pregnant woman looked back. Someone fleeing a bad situatio

Book 2: Crown of ShadowsChapter 35: What She Really IsInside the main building, Xalara let them guide her to a chair while maintaining her facade of exhausted gratitude. The captain poured water from a pitcher, his movements showing the awkward kindness of a hard man trying to help someone he saw as defenseless."Here," he said, offering the cup. "Rest a moment, then we'll get you back down to proper help.""Thank you." She accepted the water with trembling hands, using the moment to scan the room. Three men present—the captain, Joss who was still under her magical influence, and another guard who'd followed them inside. Through the windows, she could see movement in the courtyard. More targets positioning themselves perfectly."Captain Brennan," the third guard said, "shouldn't we check with—"The water cup shattered against his temple before he could finish the sentence.Xalara was moving before the fragments hit the floor, her hand finding Captain Brennan's throat as magic surged

Book 2: Crown of ShadowsChapter 37: Never Doubt the QueenThe investigation reports arrived within days of each other, each carrying pieces of a puzzle that painted an increasingly clear picture. Captain Harren—Rowan's longtime friend and trusted investigator—had led the assessment team to the destroyed mill with his characteristic thoroughness."Complete magical devastation," his written report stated in precise military language. "Lightning strikes of unprecedented accuracy and power. No conventional explanation for the precision or intensity. Estimated twenty-three casualties, all identified as known criminals with extensive records of banditry and extortion. Single survivor fled toward the coast, but we were unable to locate him for questioning."The second report had come from the team Rowan dispatched to track down the "babbling survivor" that multiple witnesses had mentioned seeing stumble into Millford."Subject located three days into coastal search," reported Lieutenant Hay