Daniel POV
The palace had never felt smaller.
Every hallway, every doorway, every shadow seemed suddenly alive with danger.
After the encounter with the mysterious man—and the Queen’s sudden interest—I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. And now, I wasn’t even allowed to move freely.
I was under Arthur’s protection.
It started this morning after the pantry incident. I came to the kitchen, trying to act normal, trying to pretend I hadn’t spent the night curled up with memories of the fall and the traffickers. But the moment I stepped past the main gates of the palace, I noticed it.
There were Guards. Everywhere. Not just the usual stationed men, but extra men, tall, armored, eyes sharp, staring at me as if I were the most fragile treasure in the world.
“Your Highness… is this necess
