Andrian stretched his arms wide open, expecting a hug from the father he hadn’t seen in over a decade. But instead, what he received was a loud, echoing slap across his face.
Silence fell over the palace like a heavy cloud. The maids froze. The guards stiffened. Even Daniel, ever the talkative one, couldn’t utter a word. All eyes were on the king and his long-lost son.
Just as Daniel opened his mouth to say something, Lucas Lancaster’s voice thundered first.
“You left! You abandoned your clan, your people… me! And now you return—like nothing happened?”
Andrian stood still. His face had turned sideways from the slap, but slowly, he turned back to face his father. A calm, unreadable smile played on his lips.
Lucas glared at him, bracing for retaliation.
But instead, Andrian walked forw
