Chapter52: A Legacy

*Kael* Two Months later. The vines that once strangled Vaeloria’s great hall have finally been cleared away. Light streams through high windows, catching on the stone floor. Max stands at my side, her hand warm in mine, the silver cloak draped from her shoulders catching the light as it trails behind her. Her golden hair is pinned with Moonstones, and a soft flush touches her cheeks. Even in stillness, there’s a wildness in her; an untamed strength just beneath the surface. She’s radiant. Fierce. And she’s mine. Max’s father steps forward, dressed in ceremonial robes, and the weight of his presence fills the room. Experience and tribulations have only sharpened him. Broad-shouldered and clear-eyed, his voice is steady as he turns to face the elders gathered around the long table. “We have agreed,” he says, nodding once toward Max and me. “My daughter and King Kael of the Emerald Coast are joined now in truth. Her place is by his side, ruling his lands and his people. And my place remai