Chapter 88

Chapter 88

 

The grand dining hall of the palace was bustling with morning activity. Servants moved swiftly, setting down silver trays of freshly prepared food, filling the air with the rich aroma of spiced meats, warm bread, and brewed tea. The long mahogany table gleamed under the soft glow of the morning light, and at its center sat Tanin, Damian, Dowager Amelia, Lyra, Antara, Rowan, and Leila—along with the two unexpected guests: Liyana and Darius.

 

Tanin, seated beside Damian, tried her best to ignore the presence of the woman she had once called 'mother' for 13 years—a woman she had watched die with her own eyes. The weight of that reality still pressed heavily against her chest.

 

As the servants finished setting the table, Liyana spoke first, her voice carrying a hopeful edge.

 

"Tanin," she said with a gentle smile, "I made your favorite food. I had the palace chefs prepare it just the way you liked it as a child."