Chapter 17 - The Shadow of Doubt Vanishes
During the height of the celebration, as the royal family mingled with the citizens in the courtyard, an elderly female omega approached Elara, her hands trembling as she held out a small, woven basket of wildflowers.
“My Queen,” the old woman whispered, bowing her head. “I... I never thanked you. Years ago, my son was trapped by a predatory debt contract forged by Judge Allaric’s court. You were the only legal advocate in Stonehaven who took his case and won. You saved our family.”
Elara gently took the old woman’s hands, kneeling slightly to look her in the eye. “You don’t need to thank me. Justice belongs to everyone, not just those with a crown.”
Cassian walked up behind Elara, placing a warm, heavy hand on her shoulder. He looked at the old woman with deep respect in his golden eyes. “And because of counselors like her, and queens who refuse to look away, this kingdom will never return to the darkness of corruption.”
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The old woman smiled tearfully, bowing once more before blending back into the joyous crowd.
Elara leaned back against Cassian’s chest, feeling the steady, powerful thrum of his heartbeat beneath his velvet coat. The phantom pain of the severed bond from five years ago was completely gone, replaced by a warm, eternal resonance that sang through every fiber of her being.
