Chapter 150 - A Quiet Joy, A Future Unfolding

The sound of trumpets heralding the royal procession reached Thorne Estate long before the dust from their horses appeared on the horizon. I stood at the window of my chambers, one hand resting on my growing belly, the other clutching the curtain as I strained for a glimpse of the returning party.

"They're here," Alistair announced from the doorway, his usually composed voice tinged with excitement. "The Duke rides beside His Majesty at the front."

My heart quickened. "Alaric is home."

Three weeks. Three endless weeks since he'd left with King Theron to oversee the final dismantling of the Blackwood network. Three weeks of letters that couldn't possibly convey everything I needed to tell him, to ask him, to feel with him beside me.

I gathered my skirts and made my way down the grand staircase, forcing myself not to rush despite the urgency pulsing through me. The main doors of Thorne Estate stood open already, servants lining up in the courtyard to welcome their Duke home.