Chapter 49 Veil Of Deception

• The tension in Elandor’s capital was palpable, the weight of every decision heavy in the air. Lord Dorian Blackthorn’s acceptance of Ariella’s terms had been delivered with the expected cool detachment, but beneath the surface, there was a sense of unease. Ariella knew that the southern lord was not a man to be trusted easily. His subtle threat in the letter served as a reminder that alliances, even those made for mutual benefit, often came with hidden dangers.
• In the days following Blackthorn’s response, Elandor’s political landscape shifted. Ariella had officially accepted the southern lord’s offer, but she had made it clear that his influence would not extend beyond the resources he had promised. In truth, Ariella knew that she was walking a tightrope. She had no choice but to work with him—Elandor needed the southern provinces’ resources to rebuild—but her instincts screamed that there was more at play than Blackthorn let on.
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