The corridors of the castle seemed darker than usual that evening, as if the walls themselves sensed the unrest brewing within. Juliana couldn't shake the unease that clung to her like a second skin. Mathias's parting words echoed in her mind: You have no idea what you're up against.
Hak, ever the stalwart protector, walked beside her, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. His silence spoke volumes. He, too, felt the tension in the air, though he would never admit it outright.
"I want a full review of Mathias's activities over the last year," Juliana said as they turned a corner toward the war room. "Every meeting, every correspondence. I need to know who else was part of this."
Hak nodded. "The royal scribes are already on it. If there's a thread to pull, we'll find it."
Juliana
