I guided Lola through the palace's lesser-known corridors, avoiding the grand halls where ministers and courtiers might lurk. Her fingers trembled slightly in mine, though her face remained composed – the practiced poise of nobility that couldn't quite mask the anxiety beneath. The small drawing room I'd selected for tea was tucked away in the family wing, far from the formal reception areas where my brother conducted state business. It was a room where crowns could be set aside, where Theo could be simply my annoying older brother rather than King of the Lycans, and where – I hoped – Lola might feel less like she was committing high treason against her family legacy by breaking bread with the "wolf-lover" and his mate.
"This palace is a maze," she whispered, her amber eyes darting to tak
