Darien's POV
The doors of the council chamber closed behind me with a heavy sound that seemed louder than it should have been. I did not slow my steps as I walked down the corridor toward my office. Every guard I passed straightened immediately, their eyes lowering in practiced respect, but I could still feel their curiosity pressing against my back. Rumors had a scent of their own, and today it clung to me like smoke.
My jaw remained tight as I reached the end of the hall. I pushed open the doors to my office harder than necessary and stepped inside. The room was quiet, orderly, everything exactly where it should be. I shut the door firmly and stood still for a moment, my hands braced on the edge of my desk as I forced my breathing into something steady.
He would replace me. He had sai
