Chapter 24
JULIAN POV The meeting ended, but no one left. That was the first sign. In the House of Valerius, men walked away from danger only when they feared it. These men remained. Which meant they were waiting for someone else to make the first mistake. I stood before the throne with my father’s signet ring resting in my palm. It was heavier than I remembered. When I was a child, I had tried to lift it from Father’s desk. I couldn’t. He had laughed once. Only once. “A crown never weighs what it looks like.” I finally understood what he meant. The throne wasn’t made of gold. It was made of expectation. Behind me, the council whispered among themselves. Magnus remained at my right, silent as ever. Cassian leaned against one of the pillars, pretending to be relaxed, though his eyes n
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