Adrian caught his father's arm before he could leave the study.
"Wait," he said. "Before I return to court, I want a straight answer. Why did you send me there in the first place? Was it truly for Elena's hand, or was that only ever a cover for something else?"
Damon paused at the door, studying his son with the patient look of a man deciding how much truth was safe to give away.
"Sit back down," he said.
Adrian did not move. "I have sat through enough of your careful answers tonight. Give me a plain one."
Damon's jaw tightened, though he seemed almost pleased by the defiance, the way a man is pleased to see a blade finally sharpen properly. "Elena Voss is a political prize. Her throne matters, her territory matters, and a marriage between our houses would have strengthened our positi
