Chapter 127 The Northern Kingdom (Continued)

• Mayi’s POV
• We arrived at the palace under the cloak of invisibility, quiet as shadows. Even in that guise there was no room for carelessness — this place had more sentries on rotation than any other palace I’d ever entered, and a single creaking hinge could draw attention we did not want. King Pontione — the Leo — and I slipped through corridors like careful breaths, teleporting short distances between rooms to avoid opening doors and startling servants or guards.
• “First we observe,” Pontione instructed in a low voice. He is the kind of king who trusts preparation above bravado; as his high priest I do not question his pace. My duty is to support, to listen, and to act when he calls.