Chapter 360. Her Purpose

I don’t think I’ve ever been in this part of the castle before. Honestly, I feel like I haven’t seen more than half of Ryatt’s grand, mountainside home since the day I first landed in this onyx palace.

But this room… this room has my full attention. The walls are the same black stone that weaves throughout the castle. Towering stained glass windows scatter ribbons of purple, blue, and ivory light across faded leather furniture and ancient portraits of what I assume are past rulers. Ornate rugs lie at odd angles, their colors bleeding into one and another, worn from age.

I wonder how many people have walked across the rugs and run their fingertips over the circular table in the center of the room. I wonder how many people have looked at the incredible 3D map that covers nearly the entire table and stood in awe of it like I am now.

I run my fingers across the jagged, scaled down peaks of the mountain ranges that border the northern edge of a circular mo