Night had settled quietly over the Holy Kingdom.
The chaos of the day—the roaring crowd, the divine light, the execution that had shaken the entire kingdom—had long since faded into a distant memory, replaced now by the calm hush that only the late hours could bring.
Inside one of the guest chambers provided by the cathedral, a tall balcony door stood open, allowing the cool night air to drift freely into the room.
Luca stood there alone.
He leaned lightly against the stone railing of the balcony, his posture far more relaxed than it had been in days. The faint breeze lifted strands of his dark violet hair, brushing them across his forehead as the cool air carried the distant sounds of a sleeping city far below.
Above him, the night sky stretched endlessly.
The moon hung bright and serene, casting a pale silver glow across the rooftops of the Holy Kingdom, bathing the cathedral spires and quiet streets in soft light.
For the first time in what felt like an eternity—
