Having answered their endless questions, I felt myself slowly draining—like someone had pulled the plug on my social battery and forgotten to warn me. My brain, throat, and desire to exist were all screaming for a room, a locked door, and about a year of silence.
Still, I forced a polite smile and answered the aunt—second removed from the late King’s side of the family—who asked if I intended to “change the very foundation of their traditions.”
“I don’t believe everything needs a change,” I said softly. “In fact, some things simply need to be fixed, not replaced entirely. Sometimes a touch-up is all it takes. And I think that’s what could make a difference in many things.”
The room hummed with murmurs. Some nodding. Some squinting. Some confused blinking.
But Cassian…
He froze.
His e
