Chapter 41

• The sun had barely crested the horizon when the low chime of a bell echoed through the grand halls of the fortress, signaling the call to council. The air was cooler that morning, with mists clinging to the edges of the tall windows and stone corridors, veiling the grounds in a pale gray that matched the quiet tension hanging in the air.
• Aria stirred gently beneath the silk sheets, alone in the vast bed. The warmth where Dante had lain still lingered, and faintly, she could hear the distant sound of voices beyond the chamber walls. She rose and wrapped herself in a robe, padding barefoot across the room to the open balcony. Below, she could see warriors gathering and servants moving quickly, there was energy in the fortress today. Purpose. Movement.
• Dante was already in the council chamber.