The week passed by in a blur, each day folding into the next with the weight of preparations and newly assigned duties. Everyone had more roles to shoulder now, and amidst it all, Ocean had carefully dispatched a letter to the King—no ordinary letter, but a bait delicately wrapped in diplomacy. He knew the King would take it; the man's pride and paranoia left him little choice. Yet Ocean's snare wasn't meant for him alone.
The Golden Serpent was the true quarry. From the whispers of his sources nestled deep within the palace walls, Ocean had learned that she had no intention of attending in person. Instead, she would send her emissaries to watch from the shadows. But once news reached her that the King himself would be present, Ocean knew she would have no choice but to appear. She could not afford to let him dance unchecked in her absence.
