Jayden's POV
Five years have passed, yet that morning remains burned into my memory like a brand on my soul.
My eyes opened to chaos. The throne room lay in complete devastation around me. Sharp pain pounded through my skull, and dust hung thick in the air like a funeral shroud.
Ancient pillars had cracked down their centers. The ornate ceiling gaped open to the sky above. Blood and debris stained the once-pristine marble floors.
My bare feet touched cold stone.
Around me, bodies began stirring as if awakening from some terrible dream. Everyone looked dazed, lost, grasping for memories that seemed to slip away like smoke.
Ebony pushed herself upright, clutching her head. Pure terror filled her wide eyes.
"Father?" Her voice cracked with desperation.
The King rose slowly from his throne, gripping the armrest for support. He surveyed the destruction with an expression I had never seen before. Not rage or authority, but raw, primal fear.
