Chapter 33 - Ritual aftermath

The palace felt heavier the morning after Ian's ritual, as though the very stones had absorbed the new weight of what had been awakened inside me. I woke before dawn, the sheets tangled around my legs, the faint silver traces of the sigils still glowing dimly on my skin like moonlight trapped beneath the surface. They did not hurt. They simply were. A reminder that something had changed irrevocably. My scent drifted through the room stronger than ever, honey and rain and wildflowers blooming in full, no longer a whisper but a declaration. Anyone who passed my door would know. The guards outside would know. The servants bringing breakfast would know. And soon, the king would know.