Chapter 29 The Shadow Beneath the Throne

The palace of Akun stood tall against the evening sky, its silhouette majestic-yet the shadows it cast had grown darker. Inside the gilded walls, silence reigned like a king. But it was not the peace of safety. It was the stillness before the breaking of storms.

In the Queen's wing, laughter rang out-a sharp, rehearsed sound that didn't reach the