As we walked out of the grand hall, the heavy stone doors closing behind the last departing nobles, a wave of deep satisfaction washed over me. I turned my head slightly toward Elias, catching his eye with a radiant grin. "They handled themselves remarkably well, didn't they, Elias?"
Elias returned the look with a warm, genuine smile that instantly melted the cold, royal mask he had worn during the court session. "They were flawless, my love. You trained them well." Without wasting another second in the public corridors, Elias, Maribel, Cassian, and I made our way straight toward Elias's private study. The moment the four of us stepped over the threshold, Cassian moved with practiced precision, shutting the heavy oak doors and casting a soundproofing ward to completely barricade the room from any unwanted ears.
