Chapter 59 Ruined Canvas And Shattered

• The instant the heavy doors clicked shut behind Alvius, a suffocating silence swallowed the grand bedchamber. The only sound that dared pierce the quiet was the soft rustle of Luna’s skirts and the light tap of her footsteps as she slowly rose and approached the canvas, still standing proudly on its easel in the center of the room.
• She stood before it for a long, breathless moment, then hesitantly reached out, her fingertips hovering just a hair's breadth above the half-dry, sweeping brushstrokes.
• Luna let out a soft, shuddering sigh. The warm, rich colors blended so masterfully—for some reason, the portrait felt infinitely more beautiful than she could have ever imagined. It was jarring, intensely strange, to see herself immortalized in such an intimate, breathless way.