Chapter 53 Nothing, No One

• Florence’s POV
• The torches flickered in the dimly lit chamber as I stood before the altar, the air thick with the scent of incense and ambition. My reflection in the cracked mirror revealed only determination, a coldness that had grown in me ever since I realized the extent of my father’s betrayal. Eternia was my birthright, and soon, it would be mine.
• Joran’s confession still echoed in my ears. He had been the leak, the one feeding information to the Council. For months, I had trusted him, relied on him as my closest advisor, only to find out he had been working against me all along.