Chapter 50 - To Hold a Storm in My Arms

Ashtoria didn't know what this feeling was—this slow, burning sensation curling deep in her chest.

She only knew one thing.

This embrace… was too comforting to let go.

Her body rested against Riven's chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart—strong, warm, and impossibly grounding. It felt like a place she had been searching for all her life without realizing. A place where her scars weren't laughed at, where her presence wasn't feared.

She closed her eyes. Her breath matched his, their rhythm becoming one. And for a brief moment, the world stopped moving.

All the blood, the hatred, the screams from her long, endless nights—they melted away in this single, silent embrace.

But then—

A whisper broke through the stillness.

"Anna… or should I say, Your Majesty."

The words slid softly into her ear, gentle in tone—but sharp as a blade.

Ashtoria's eyes flew open.