Chapter 40 The Storm Within

• Ariella couldn’t sleep. The discovery of the coded letters had shaken her to her core. It wasn’t just Selene’s betrayal that haunted her—it was the overwhelming weight of the knowledge that The Shade had infiltrated the very heart of Elandor. Every step she took felt like walking through a storm, the ground shifting beneath her, and the air heavy with tension.
• She paced the length of her chambers, the flickering candlelight casting shadows on the stone walls. Kael had insisted on keeping their findings a secret for now. They had no idea who else was involved in The Shade’s plans, and revealing their knowledge too soon could give away their position.
• But Ariella knew that time was running out. She couldn’t afford to wait. The kingdom needed her, and with Selene now an enemy, she could no longer afford the luxury of hesitation.