C84 The Price of Power

Morning bled into the fortress like a ghost returning home.

Mist clung to the walls, softening the jagged edges of the cliffs. The sea below churned grey and restless, waves breaking against stone with the rhythm of a heartbeat that refused to stop.

Ariana stood at her window, the chill seeping into her bones. Her reflection swam in the glass—paler than she remembered, eyes too bright