---
Kai bowed, bitterness flickering in his dark ant eyes. "You did all you could, Princess." Mia's slender hand touched his antenna to confront him.
With that, the queen ant swept from the chamber, her star aura fading into the shadow. Kai and Mia were alone for a moment in that hushed, precious silence before he followed her back through the violet‑scented halls.
"Kai," princess Mia says, "Today you should stay in the core area. Tomorrow I will go back to the worker ant area. We can go back together."
A lantern burned gently in the Outer Chamber of the castle, where carved jade panels depicted the cycle of seasons in delicate relief. Plush cushions and low tables of silverwood made the room feel warm, an oasis of calm amid the palace's endless duty.
