Liam stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with her at the threshold. He felt something tug at his core—an invisible force, like gravity, but older. It wasn't just a tomb they were about to enter. It was something else. Something buried beneath bones and time.
The rest of the group stopped a few steps behind.
"This is it," Liam said, looking over his shoulder. "We'll go from here."
They didn't answer right away.
Sophia was the first to speak. Her voice was steady, but her eyes trembled. "Liam… I trust you. But be careful. Especially with her."
Eleanor took a step forward, her expression unreadable. "If she turns on you—"
"I won't," the queen interrupted coolly.
Eleanor ignored her. "—you do what you have to."
The queen narrowed her eyes. "You think I need to wait for him to be alone to kill you all?" Her voice was calm, almost lazy, but there was something behind it—like fire hidden under snow. "If I wanted you dead, you'd have turned to ash when I lifted a finger."
