The corridors opened into light.
Not the blinding kind that hurts your eyes, but a soft, living brightness that seemed to breathe with the walls themselves. Pale stone arched overhead, threaded with veins of silver and green that pulsed faintly as we walked, as if the castle recognized the blood moving through my veins.
Aiden walked beside me, unhurried.
Everywhere we went, people stopped.
Not abruptly. Not fearfully.
They simply paused mid-conversation, mid-step and bowed their heads. Some placed a hand over their heart.
Others knelt briefly, reverently, before rising again with gentle smiles.
No tension.
No suspicion.
No whispers.
Just respect.
I felt something loosen inside my chest.
"They respect you," I said quietly, unable to hide the small note of wonder in my voice.
Aiden glanced at me. "They respect the balance," he corrected. "Not the crown."
I smiled faintly at that.
