I returned to Aurelius with a heavy heart. Everything felt like it was piling on top of me—the pressure of the Princes' return, the looming confrontation with Rune, and now Kai's reckless decision to step into a battle meant for me. It was as if the world refused to give me even a moment to breathe.
Changing back into Reina's form, I stepped out of my chambers and paused at the doorway. The hall stretched out before me, bathed in warm morning light, the bustle of activity echoing softly through the walls.
I moved through the corridor slowly, watching the servants scurry around me like windblown leaves. They were finalizing the last touches—dusting, lighting lanterns, aligning flower arrangements along the pillars. Their movements were hurried, but beneath it all, I could sense their anticipation. Rune was coming home. After years away on the battlefield, the future Duke of Aurelius my older brother was finally returning.
