"The bond between kings and anchors was never built on obedience, but on the courage to see what the other hides."
ELIAS'S POV
The King's private office felt unnaturally cold, despite the heavy stone walls and the morning sun streaming in. I was seated at Alaric's secondary desk, reviewing the latest security logs for the BlackThorne deployment in Roan Ridge and around the Silverback Forest. The air was charged with a dense, residual anxiety, the lingering scent of Ostel's fear, and the sharp, controlled urgency of Alaric's immediate security overhaul.
