Karmen and Aisha returned to her apartment. Aisha watched Karmen, noting the deep lines of exhaustion on his face. "Prince Gabriel punished Eryx in a way I never imagined he would be. I saw the disappointment in the eyes of his father."
"Lazarus is a respected member of the court council," Karmen asserted. "Seeing what his son did must have broken his heart. But at the same time, he has always shielded Eryx behind the weight of his title. This time, even his position couldn't save him. He realized that to fight Prince Gabriel was to lose everything, so he chose to let his son fall rather than stain his own reputation."
A sharp throb pulsed through Karmen's temples, leaving behind a persistent ache. He leaned his head back against the sofa rest, closing his eyes to block out the light of the apartment.
"You're exhausted," Aisha said softly, shifting closer to him. "Everything that happened today... It was too much."
