Chapter 31 Embers Beneath The Crown

• The crown hadn’t even begun to cool, and already the wind shifted.
• Kael sensed it before anyone else did—not with magic, but instinct. The kind you sharpen in blood and betrayal. Peace had settled over the kingdom like snow on stone, but beneath it, something stirred. It always did. Power never slept for long.
• In the war council chamber, maps had been rolled away, and the scent of ink had replaced that of ash. The old warlords now wore silk. The generals bowed with respect. But Kael knew what lurked beneath polished boots and pleasant smiles.