Seraphine's POV
It didn’t take long for new footsteps to return—heavier boots, a sharper rhythm. They stopped in front of the door, not hesitating, only gathering authority. The king’s right hand entered first, the same dark cloak and steady posture as always. Margot followed him. And even before either spoke, you could hear another set of steps on the stairs: the king’s.
When the king stepped into the servants’ room, the space seemed to shrink—not because of his size, but because his gaze pulled everything into order. He did not sit. He didn’t wander or study the room. He looked at me, then Elias, then Margot. His voice came quiet and sharp, like flint striking stone.
“Margot tells me someone was harmed in my house last night,” he said. “Anyone who enters this keep falls under my respo
