Chapter 444 - CH 444 — The Prince of Night

Late morning sunlight shimmered across the quiet canals of Venice, turning the rippling water into sheets of liquid gold that reflected centuries-old palaces rising gracefully from the city's ancient foundations, while elegant gondolas drifted unhurriedly beneath weathered stone bridges and the distant tolling of cathedral bells blended with the cries of seabirds circling above the lagoon, creating an atmosphere of timeless dignity that concealed countless political secrets carefully preserved behind noble façades.