Chapter 18 The Final Preparation

• The day before my wedding dawned grey and cold, with storm clouds gathering on the horizon like an omen of the chaos about to descend on both kingdoms. I spent the early morning hours in final preparations, reviewing every detail of our plan while trying to maintain the appearance of a nervous bride focused on ceremonial details rather than magical warfare.
• Kael arrived at my chambers before dawn, slipping through the window with the silent grace that had first caught my attention weeks ago. Now, watching him move through the shadows of my room, I felt the familiar mixture of desire and wariness that defined our relationship.
• "The cult's final preparations are complete," he reported quietly, settling into the chair beside my writing desk where I'd been reviewing maps of the castle's lower levels. "Lord Cassius brought additional mages with him—three death-speakers and a bone-binder."