Chapter 81:

The halls stretch endlessly before me, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight streaming through huge tall windows.

My steps are quick, almost urgent, but my mind races faster than my feet.

I haven't seen Caspian since the council meeting, and the memory of the accusations still burns inside me like an open wound.

They called me a traitor.

They said I was playing both sides.

And Caspian… he had defended me. But barely.

I inhale sharply, pushing down the frustration clawing at my chest. The mating bond tugs at me, invisible but insistent, pulling me in a singular direction.

I follow it instinctively, my hands curling into fists at my sides.

The study.

Of course, he'd be here.

I push open the heavy doors without knocking.

Caspian sits behind the massive oak desk, his broad shoulders hunched as he pores over documents.