章 580: DOWNFALL OF A KINGDOM

AZAR POV

I watched the last bit of the castle burn down to the ground, the flames greedily licking at the stone walls until they crumbled into ash. The screams of its occupants echoed in the air, carried by the wind like haunting ghosts that would never leave. I gripped the hilt of my sword tighter, my knuckles white beneath the gauntlet, but I didn't move. There was no reason to. The battle was already over, the victory hollow.

IIn the midst of it all stood Thea, her black cloak billowing in the smoky breeze, a sharp contrast against the burning red and orange hues of the fire. She watched the destruction with a smile on her black painted lips, a smile that twisted something deep inside me. There was no remorse in her eyes, no flicker of doubt or regret. Just satisfaction, like she'd been waiting for this moment, craving it.