Warning

The palace basked in the golden embrace of the morning, its corridors stretching endlessly with silent grandeur. Yet, the air carried an unmistakable tension—one that thickened with every measured step.

Eugenie and Zander walked side by side, returning to their study after the morning council. Their aides and Helena followed a few paces behind, wary of the Zander's mood.

Zander's expression had been grim throughout the meeting, his displeasure barely restrained. It wasn't difficult to see why. He had discovered the truth—the truth that Alora had not returned to the palace the previous night.

It took little effort for Zander to outmaneuver Helena and the other ladies-in-waiting, tricking them into revealing Alora's absence. And though he had reined in his anger through the meeting, the undercurrents of his displeasure were impossible to miss.