Chapter 43 The Price Of Victory

• The throne room was silent, save for the heavy breaths of Ariella and her companions. The once vibrant space, filled with the chatter of the court and the glint of regal adornments, now lay in ruins. Blood stained the marble floors, and the remnants of the traitors littered the ground. The battle had been fierce, the outcome uncertain until the final moments, but Ariella knew this was just the beginning.
• The immediate threat had been dealt with, but she could feel the weight of the future bearing down on her. The Shade had been exposed in the capital, but they were not confined to the palace walls. Their influence stretched far beyond the gates of Elandor’s capital city. The shadowy organization was woven into the fabric of the kingdom’s political and economic structures. Ariella had only uncovered a fraction of their network, but the enemy was still strong, and their reach was long.
• Kael stepped toward her, his sword dripping with the blood of their enemies, his expression unreadable. "We did what we had to do, but this isn’t over. The Shade has more forces waiting for the right moment. We’ve taken the first step, but there are many more to come."