The kingdom had not slept.
Even with the morning sun burning away the mist from the cobbled streets of the capital, a shroud of disbelief still hung over every tavern, every merchant stall, every noble’s parlor. The events in the royal court — Lord Peter’s open confession, his defiance, the execution of the Crown Prince Thas, and the revelation of Heiko’s true place as the new heir — had cracked the very foundation of the realm’s politics.
Among the noble class, the Khans were the most visibly shaken.
They had moved for years with the quiet precision of a predator, weaving influence into every crevice of the Court, betting everything on the future of their heiress, Marisa Khan, becoming queen through her betrothal to Thas. They had invested gold, soldiers, and favors — even whispers in
