Chapter 212

CHAPTER 54… VALENTINA The first light of dawn spread across the horizon, soft and deliberate, casting the palace in hues of gold and rose that seemed almost impossible after weeks of tension. I stood at the balcony with Luciano in my arms, he cradled against my chest, feeling the warmth of his small body grounding me as deeply as any ward or magic could. The air conveyed the subtle fragrance of the gardens below, the distinct aroma of the river beyond the palace walls, and a delicate, almost imperceptible sense of stability that had not been present previously. “They are adjusting,” I whispered, half to myself, half to the boy against my shoulder. “The roads, the towns, the councils… it is all settling.” Luciano stirred, his silver humming faintly along his arms and neck, brushing against my awareness. It was a quiet, steady affirmation. He was asserting, in the smallest, most precise ways, that the world could realign. That he could anchor it. I turned toward the great hall where the