Chapter 17 - Whispers in the Court
The evening air in the royal gardens was sweet with the scent of blooming white roses. Lanterns flickered softly along the stone pathways, casting a warm, golden glow across the manicured lawns.
Mara sat on a stone bench near the grand fountain, listening to the gentle splash of water. Her fingers traced the edge of the silver ring she now wore proudly on her right hand.
Footsteps crunched softly on the gravel path behind her.
“You’re hiding,” Julian’s voice broke the quiet. He walked around the bench, holding two crystal goblets of spiced wine, and handed one to her before sitting down beside her.
“I’m not hiding,” Mara smiled, taking a sip of the sweet wine. “I’m simply enjoying the silence. For three years, I prayed that nobody would notice me. Now, every lord and lady in the continent wants a moment of my time.”
“Ah, the burden of being a legendary savior,” Julian teased, clinking his goblet against hers. “Are you regretting your choice yet? You could always sneak back down to the scullery and scrub pots in peace.”
Mara laughed, leaning her head against his shoulder. “Never. Though I might occasionally sneak down to the kitchens just to make sure the staff isn't slacking off.”
Julian smiled, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. “The council approved the new charter today. No more secret vaults, no more hidden bloodlines, and absolute equality between the crown and the keepers of the earth. Whitmore is finally entering a true age of peace.”
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“And Cassian?” Mara asked quietly.
“Sentenced to exile in the southern isles,” Julian replied evenly. “Without his dark artifacts, he’s just a bitter old man shouting at the sea. Let him write his memoirs.”
