Chapter 82 The Queen's Burden

• Bobby's fingers tightened on the throne's armrest, her knuckles white against the polished stone. The messenger's words echoed through her mind like a death knell—silver light that shredded rather than healed, something that moved with purpose through the darkness. Every instinct screamed at her to leave immediately, to hunt down whatever had dared to twist her gift into something monstrous.
• "Clear the hall," Gideon commanded, his voice cutting through the rising murmur of nobles. "This session is over."
• The courtiers filed out in clusters, their whispered conversations carrying fragments of fear and speculation. Lady Evermore shot one last calculating glance toward the throne before sweeping through the massive doors.