Chapter 74 – Shadows of Lisbon
The night before their journey to Lisbon, Jota sat by the small window of their modest home in Penedono. The cool autumn breeze swept across the fields, carrying with it the faint scent of pine and smoke from distant chimneys. The village was quiet—too quiet for the storm raging inside him. Tomorrow was not just another day. Tomorrow, the road to Lisbon would open, and with it, a chance to step onto a stage that could change his destiny forever.
He glanced down at his old boots resting near his bed. Their soles were worn, the leather cracked, but they carried more history than any gleaming pair from a store. These boots had carried him through endless practices on dirt fields, countless nights of silent determination, and victories that only a handful of villagers had witnessed.
Ana stirred from her bed across the room, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "You're still awake, Jota?" she asked, her small voice cutting through the stillness.
