Chapter 52: The broken veil.

The kingdom recovered bit by bit from the ravages of the recent battles. It really did not matter that there was no immediate threat; the scars that dark magic had brought still felt fresh. The grand hall of the palace, once filled with tension, abuzzed with cautious optimism radiating from a people whose most ardent wish was peace. But the veneer of normalcy masked an uneasy feel that hinted through silence that the battles fought thus far were but a prologue to things greater.

Ariadne stood in the window of her chamber, looking out over the resplendent kingdom. Warmth bathed the land beneath the golden rays of the sun, standing in relief against the dark shadows that had plagued them not long ago. The sight reminded and assured her exactly what a fragile balance was hanging there in the balance. Victories the kingdom had managed to win, but remnants of dark magic still whispered in the corners of their world.

Reflection in the window, perhaps. It was broken by the soft knock at the