Kelvin was the first to move.
He dropped to one knee with a thud that echoed like a drumbeat of loyalty, his head bowed low. A heartbeat later, Count Alec followed, then Claude, then one after another, the entire court knelt in unison, their voices rising together like a single trumpet blast:
"Welcome back, Your Grace!"
The cry shook the hall with its sheer conviction.
Asher, undeterred by the reverence, floated calmly forward until he reached the dais. The throne loomed behind Sapphira like a crown waiting to be claimed.
He descended, his armored boots never touching the floor. With deliberate grace, he removed his black crown-helm and stepped before her.
Then, in a move so gentle it silenced the room, he raised his hand and cupped her face.
