Ed followed the guard through the grand palace gardens.
The scent of grass and flowers filled the air, illuminated by the golden hues of the evening sun.
At the center of the vast green field sat Valtira Reyes, the Lightning Queen.
Her silver-white hair shimmered in the dimming light, her sharp gray eyes locked onto a conversation with an assistant beside her.
She radiated presence—controlled, poised, utterly unfazed by the world around her.
But the moment she glanced in Ed's direction, something flickered in her gaze.
Shock. Recognition.
She stood up. "You can go now," she said, dismissing her assistant.
Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, she gestured toward Ed. "Come here."
Ed approached.
He made sure his expression carried just the right balance—lost, uncertain, vulnerable.
As he stopped a few feet from her, Bloodmoon materialized in his hand.
A silent message.