CHAPTER 79
The next day, the kingdom of Alagascar stirred with its usual rhythm. Children's laughter rang faintly, and a train's distant horn echoed across the hills. Merchants called out prices and exchanged goods, yet something was off. The people, though busy, carried a heavy silence among them.
A final word had been released: the King had summoned them all.
The townspeople gathered, murmuring anxiously.
Many had a name on their minds. They stood clustered in the sun-warmed courtyard, casting glances toward the grand hall.
When Grace finally appeared, she moved with controlled purpose. Her glowing green cloak swept across the marble floor, catching the light. Her sharp brown eyes shimmered beneath the sun, and the lines of her face, fine and noble, were hard to ignore.
By common judgment, King Quicke was a fine man.
She stepped toward the crowd and raised her hand. "Silence."
A few ripples of breath passed through them before quiet settled.
