Chapter 60 Shadows In The Capital

• The capital gates loomed ahead, banners of the Northern Kingdom whipping in the late afternoon wind. The city had heard rumors long before the royal caravan approached—rumors of shattered mirrors, of battles against phantom armies, of their King returning with wounds too great for even a Lycan to heal. But what held the whispers strongest was their Queen.
• Lucia rode in silence, her posture steady but her hands trembling faintly where they rested on the reins. She could feel the eyes of her people. Every face in the crowd seemed to search her for reassurance, yet her body betrayed her. A wave of nausea passed through her, and for a moment, the world tilted.
• Kelvin’s hand brushed her wrist, steadying her. His sharp eyes scanned her profile, catching the faint shadow flicker beneath her skin before it vanished. He forced a smile for the crowd.