Lily POV
The answer had been obvious.
Not immediately, admittedly. The stag complication had introduced a variable I hadn't anticipated. But once I'd observed the mechanism's response, the underlying logic became almost embarrassingly simple.
Gunnar had not appreciated this assessment.
Personally, I found his sludge-related suffering deeply gratifying.
Not because I disliked him. Not exactly.
He simply possessed the unique ability to be confidently wrong in a way I found irritating.
I unfolded the contents of my envelope.
One heir did not graduate high school, and they have always resented me for that.
I frowned. That was it. No name. No identifying details. Just a statement.
My mind immediately began sorting possibilities.
Gunnar seemed the least likely candidate. Everything ab
