Chapter 180
Sylus
The stones looked the same—etched with gold, edges still sharp with pride and history—but there was something in the silence of the air today that felt too loud. Maybe it was just me. Maybe it was the fatigue finally catching up after weeks of court work, the endless hours burned under crown and expectation. Whatever it was, the weight on my shoulders didn’t ease even as I stood at the gates of what we once called home.
No one was waiting for us. Not that they usually were.
Cassian walked a few steps ahead, his coat slung over his shoulder, looking like he hadn’t slept in days. Knowing him, he hadn’t. Dane had his arms crossed, his posture tense as always. He was quiet unless he had something to say—then it was sharp enough to draw blood. The three of us hadn't stood
