The throne room had never known such stillness.In years past, the hall had echoed with disputes between nobles, the clash of councilors’ voices, and the laughter of courtiers who thought themselves immortal in the glow of chandeliers. Tonight, however, the silence pressed like a weight upon the stone. Every column, every banner, seemed to lean inward, listening. Even the guards, standing at rigid attention along the walls, kept their breaths shallow, as though to inhale too loudly would offend the dead.Moonlight washed the chamber pale, streaming through the tall windows and cutting across the dais where the crown lay. The object was small compared to the vast room, yet it seemed to command the space—the jagged circlet of iron and gold, cruelly forged, every thorn-like point catching silver light. It looked less like a symbol of rule than a predator crouched, patient and waiting.Zara stood at the foot of the dais, unable to look away. Her fingers flexed unconsciously at her sides.
Last Updated : 2025-08-31 Read more