"Let the sea rise, let the magic burn I will cross every realm, break every oath, and summon every forgotten god before I let them keep her from me."
The Pearl Castle was unlike any place I had walked in centuries. The walls hummed with memory, like a song buried beneath layers of stone and sea. The very air shimmered with magic wild, ancient, and watchful. I stood in the eastern courtyard garden where glowing vines climbed coral archways, and the scent of salt and jasmine hung low in the breeze. Somewhere in the distance, the lull of waves kissed the shore. Peace was rare. Here, it came with caution. Caelan laughed nearby, tossing a smooth shell between his hands. His hair caught the light like flame beneath the water, and I felt my heart swell. My son. Grown, powerful, bonded and safe.
