The following morning came quietly, the sun rising over Lechia's great palace, its light spilling like molten gold across the spires and courtyards. The air was cool, touched by the faint perfume of the royal gardens, and the gentle hum of the palace was beginning to stir. Lucas had awoken early, his mind focused and calm, his heart steady despite the magnitude of the meeting ahead.
He left the quarters while the girls were still deciding what to wear. Nyx had insisted on exploring the palace's northern wing again, where the murals of Lechia's history were painted in spirit-infused colors that shimmered like living flames. Selene and Lira agreed to accompany her, half for the art and half for the pleasure of seeing how the courtiers stared whenever they walked by. Lucas smiled faintly at their chatter, but he said little. His mind was fixed on what was to come.
