POV: Eve
Morning came too early and brought with it the weight of responsibility that had settled over Eve's shoulders the night before.
She woke to find Damian already awake beside her, watching her with an expression of quiet determination. The Queen's chambers were luxurious, a bedroom larger than most homes, windows overlooking the Seraphim Court's crystalline gardens, furnishings that spoke of centuries of refinement.
"Couldn't sleep?" Eve asked, though she already knew the answer.
"Slept some," Damian said. "But my mind kept working through angles. We need to understand who benefits from this challenge beyond just the obvious."
"The obvious being the old guard faction trying to destabilize the reform," Eve said, moving to sit up against the headboard.
