The Capital

The setting feels so alive and layered—I'm curious whether the author drew from real-world cities or imagined it entirely from scratch. Did any particular place or history influence it?

The relationship between the characters was so nuanced, balancing vulnerability with underlying danger. How did the author manage to keep that tension so authentic?

The magic felt integral to the plot and world-building, but I'm wondering if the author had a clear structure in mind or let it grow organically during writing.