Jalin's POV
The night was thick with the stench of roasted meat and the pungent odor of cheap perfume that lingered long after the banquet hall had cleared. I loomed over Lucian, who sat shackled in his own despair, a broken king teetering on the edge of abject humiliation.
Finn sat on his throne, watching the exodus of his guests with a satisfaction tinged by a strange, lurking unrest. The events of the evening had unfolded precisely as Finn had orchestrated, yet there was a tempest brewing within him - a yearning to unmask my true intentions.
I sensed Finn's eyes on me, persistent and probing as I steered the girl towards Lucian’s quarters. My grip on her arm tightened, eliciting a pained whimper that did little to soften my resolve. Her terror was apparent, her wide, pleading eyes g
