“They’re testing us,” I said quietly, gripping the railing tight. “Seeing how we react before they come closer.”
Marco stood beside me, scanning the horizon. “What do you want to do, my king?”
I thought about Hazel lying in that bed, still weak, her mind tangled in trauma and false memories. She had fought so hard already—protecting me at the ball, facing the elders, surviving poison. Now this. I couldn’t let them reach her.
“Prepare the barriers,” I ordered. “Activate every old ward we have around the palace. No one leaves the palace grounds until we know what we’re dealing with.”
A stronger gust of wind hit us, carrying the sound of distant thunder even though there were no storm clouds. The darkness deepened, making the daylight feel like twilight. Somewhere far off, I thought I hea
