Chapter 119

ELIZA’S POV That morning, as Edmund’s guide, I took him on a tour of the capital. Edmund walked quietly beside me, taking in the heart of the capital with curious eyes. He kept his distance away from me. He never came too close and he never looked at me for too long. His presence was warm. Comfortable, even. His hand was always just behind me, never touching, but close enough that I could feel the heat of it in the space between us. “Is that the original structure?” he asked, pointing at the old stone tower in front of us. “The western spire?” I nodded. “Yeah, it’s been standing since the second Great War. The top section was rebuilt after a fire, but the base is still the same stone.” He scribbled something into a small leather notebook he carried. “Fascinating. It’s got that kind of... fiery look. Like it refuses to be forgotten. Defiant elegance I guess” I blinked in confusion. “Defiant elegance?” He chuckled. “Sorry. That’s a term my mentor used to describe relics that survive dest