THE HIDDEN CROWN

Chapter 75

As Victor and Elara stepped out into the cold night air, the feeling of being watched prickled at the back of Elara’s neck. She glanced over her shoulder but saw nothing out of the ordinary. The city had quieted down, the marketplace a shadow of its earlier bustling self. Still, the silence felt unnatural, heavy with an unseen threat.

“Victor,” she said softly, her voice laced with concern. “Do you feel that?”

He slowed his pace, eyes scanning the rooftops and narrow alleys around them. “We’re not alone,” he murmured, confirming her suspicions.

In an instant, a figure stepped out of the shadows ahead of them, cloaked in black. His presence was almost ghostly, as though he had materialized from the darkness itself. More figures began to emerge from the alleyways, each one moving with silent, predatory grace. The council had sent their best—the Shadows.

Victor’s eyes narrowed, and he stepped in front of Elara protectively. “The council’s hounds,” he said, his voice low. “They’ve come to