Chapter 146

The great doors swung open with a soft groan of ancient hinges, and the hall fell into reverent silence as all eyes turned toward the figure standing framed in gold and daylight.

Kieran stood tall beneath the towering arches, clad in a regal ensemble, the Kyrelian crest embroidered at his chest — a symbol reborn today with him.

The guards stepped forward in perfect unison, halberds lowered in solemn salute. One voice rose, echoing through the vaulted hall:

"His Royal Highness, Kieran de Von Ryker Kyrelian has arrived!"

A sea of nobles, dignitaries, allies, and kin lowered their heads in a single graceful bow, the hush deep and weighty — the entire empire at his feet. Kieran felt the pull of that weight for just a moment: the battles fought, the betrayals endured, the shadows that had nearly devoured him. And yet here he stood — whole, sovereign, unyielding.

It was worth it, he thought. Every wound, every loss… because it led me here.