The Royal Academy's grand lecture hall hummed with anticipation. Scholars, nobles, and curious citizens filled every seat, with latecomers standing against the walls. Professor Morian's lecture on "Primordial Wisdom: Ancient Truths for a New Age" had drawn the largest crowd the Academy had seen in decades.
I adjusted the weight of the ancient tome hidden beneath my coat as I surveyed the room from my position near the back wall. The serpent-skin bound "Chronicles of the Ophidian Pact" felt heavy against my ribs—not just physically, but with the weight of generations of Thorne family secrets.
"Are you certain about this approach?" King Alaric Valerius whispered beside me. The young monarch had insisted on attending despite my objections, though he'd come in modest attire to avoid drawing attention.
