Chapter 30

• As the remnants of the banquet were cleared and the palace returned to a semblance of order, Seraphina felt a renewed sense of purpose. The Obscured Crescent had been drawn into the light, and now, the queen was ready to face them head-on.
• The cold stone walls of the palace dungeon felt like another world compared to the grandeur above. The air was damp, heavy with the smell of mildew and the faint tang of iron. Seraphina descended the narrow staircase, her footsteps echoing in the silence. Behind her, Lyra and Alaric followed closely, their expressions grim.
• The prisoner awaited them in the deepest cell, his wrists bound with iron shackles. He sat slumped against the wall, his face pale and drawn. When he saw the queen, he flinched, as though her very presence was a threat.