The carriage ride back to the palace is mercifully quieter than the trip into the city. My family, for once, seems satisfied with their handiwork, and I spend the journey trying to ignore the mountain of gifts piled around me. Jewelry, enchanted trinkets, rare artifacts—I could build an empire out of today's offerings alone. Not that I want to.
[You survived. Barely.]
It's not over yet, I remind the system grimly. There's still time for something worse.
[True. Your family does love a grand finale.]
The thought alone makes me groan.
As we pass through the palace gates, the familiar sight of towering spires and marble archways greets me. The moment the carriage halts, servants rush forward to unload the obscene number of gifts. I step out, my cape trailing behind me like a shadow, and head straight for my chambers without waiting for my family.
"Elyzara, dear," Sylvithra calls after me, her voice deceptively soft. "We'll see you shortly."
That's never a good sign.
