The usual grandeur and cold authority of the palace remained, but there was something else lurking beneath the surface. An unspoken tension, a quiet threat lingering in every shadow. The walls seemed to listen, the flickering candlelight casting twisted shapes along the stone.
I moved with purpose, my steps measured but swift. The weight of King Aldric's demand pressed against my shoulders. He wanted results. He wanted answers. And if I did not provide them, someone else would, someone who might not be as merciful.
Lucian had not spoken after our meeting with the King, but his touch had lingered on my wrist just long enough to send a message. He knew how dangerous this would be. He knew I was being set up to take the fall should things go awry.
I would not let that happen.
Lillian was waiting in my chambers when I arrived, her expression unreadable. A tray sat untouched beside her, a cup of tea now lukewarm.
"Did you get any sleep at all?" she asked softly.
