CLARABEL'S POV
Malakai’s face was trapped in my mind.
The way the blood had drained from his features at the mention of a name. I had seen him receive reports of border skirmishes and assassination plots with nothing more than a twitch of his jaw. But Talia—the name had hit him like a physical blow. It wasn't just shock; it was a dark tension that was close to dread.
Who was she… to shake him like that?
A soft knock at the door broke my spiraling thoughts. Two of the younger maidens, Elara and Miri, slipped inside. They were among the few in the Pack I actually trusted—girls who had seen me at my lowest and now looked at me with a reverence that often made me uncomfortable.
"Lady Clarabel," Elara whispered, her eyes wide with the sort of nervous energy that usually preceded a storm. "
