Light and words and faces—so many faces—all blending together until Iva couldn't tell one from another. She felt the weight of something ancient settle onto her shoulders like a mantle she had never asked for.
The Goddess Messenger.
That was who she was now. Not Iva. Something bigger. Something that belonged to everyone.
Caleb's hand found the small of her back as they walked through the great doors of the royal castle. His touch was steady, grounding, the only thing keeping her from floating away entirely.
The castle rose around her—stone and shadow and centuries of history. Torches flickered along the walls, casting dancing light over tapestries that depicted battles and bonds and the faces of kings long dead. Her footsteps echoed on the marble floor.
And everywhere, there were peop
