In Sylvaris, where pure-blood elves worship lineage, Elara — the secret human-born queen — returns after five years, three months pregnant with King Thalion's heir. High chamberlain Seraphine mistakes her for the king's mistress and humiliates, jails, and forcedly ends her pregnancy. Thalion uncovers the truth, and the two lure Seraphine into staging a public shaming. At that very spectacle he exposes her with a recording: the crowd learns Elara is the real queen. Seraphine is imprisoned forever, her accomplices exiled. Elara takes her throne and vows never to let noble blood be used as a weapon again.
