Twilight descended over Savadra, washing the palace in hues of violet and amber. King Heimdal stepped out of what used to be Astrid's dressing room. He was wearing a robe with gold trimmings and with an embroidered golden eagle clutching a ring of fire at the back—the emblem of Northem.
Though his health improved a lot after taking the tonics and pills prepared by Lara, he was still not back to his old self. His stride was slower now, tempered by age and illness, but still carried the weight of a man who had once commanded armies.
He sank into the carved cedar chair by the terrace of Balai Hamili. From there, the sunset unfurled before him—its light spilling across the palace gardens and gilding the old gazebo in a glory no mason could replicate.
