Chapter 208

CHAPTER 50… VALENTINA The Concord believed they were still in control. I felt that certainty the moment I stepped fully into the Origin Seat’s inner circle, with Luciano warm and steady in my arms and Andres positioned just behind my right shoulder. The air here did not bow to crowns or councils. It responded only to balance, and balance had no patience for arrogance. The thirteen Concord delegates stood arranged along the carved perimeter, their robes marked with sigils of authority older than most living dynasties. They watched me the way men watch a tide they believe they have already measured. That belief was their first mistake… “Your presence here is acknowledged,” the central delegate said, his voice smooth, carefully moderated. “But understand this, Your Majesty— this assembly convenes by Concord law, not royal decree.” I did not bristle or answer immediately. I adjusted Luciano slightly against my chest, feeling the subtle hum beneath his skin align with the stone beneath our