Chapter 138

Simon's POV Later that evening, music drifted from the courtyard as allies danced beneath lanterns. I watched Emma twirl in Thomas's arms, her laugh echoing above the chatter. The shadows had lifted from her eyes. "Do you believe in second chances now?" I asked, stepping behind Aisha She leaned into my warmth. "I'm starting to." My hand brushed hers "You helped build this peace, Aisha." "I just survived," she whispered. "No," I said softly. "You led." That was all the reassurance she needed from me. The rain had stopped by mid-morning, leaving behind a world rinsed clean. Dew clung to every leaf, the scent of wet earth thick in the air. Aisha and I walked through the garden path behind the hospital, where wild lilies had begun to bloom again. It had been her idea to rebuild the hospital before the throne room, and to return healing before hierarchy. At the time, I hadn't understood it. Now, I did. Every window now shimmered with light. Nurses moved freely between rooms. Patients laughe