Vadim PoV
Amelia sighed as we left the cathedral. The meeting with High Priest Leonardo had been as short as the man'd predicted.
She had reluctantly agreed to allow the High Priest to continue to govern Kaguya City and the former crown lands surrounding it. He'd spun it as a temporary measure, a period of 'assessment' where she could 'prove her capacity' to rule. It felt more like a concession, a polite refusal disguised as wise counsel. She'd left his office with her shoulders a little slumped, her vibrant spirit dimmed.
I walked a step behind her, my hand instinctively going to the hilt of my sword. It was an empty gesture, a habit more than a threat, but it made me feel like I was doing something. The silence between us was heavy, filled with unspoken frustrations.
My hand went to my crystal earring. It was my true weapon. Who would've thought that the son of its previous owner would become its heir. The same man who had destroyed the kingdom.
