Three days after the banquet, strange rumors spread through Moonfall Palace.
At first, Kaelira ignored them.
Palaces were built on gossip.
But by noon, the whispers had become impossible to dismiss.
A young maid knelt before her, trembling.
“Your Majesty…”
Kaelira looked up from the map she had been studying.
“Yes?”
“I thought… I thought I saw you this morning.”
Kaelira smiled politely.
“You did.”
The maid quickly shook her head.
“No.”
“You were here.”
“I saw you in the council chamber.”
“But…”
She swallowed hard.
“I also saw you walking through the eastern gardens at the exact same time.”
The room fell silent.
Lucien slowly closed the book in his hands.
“Are you certain?”
The maid nodded so quickly her braid slipped over her shoulder.
“I greeted her.”
“She smiled at
