Heiko’s jaw ticked, but his lips curled into a cold smile.
“And why not?” he replied without emotion, his voice like frost on stone.
Before the King could press further, Heiko turned sharply and entered the castle, leaving his father behind in the sunlight, standing in silence.
King Paul watched him go, and for the first time in years, felt a twinge of unease.
Because his son wasn’t just committed, he was calm, which was an extremely rare thing.
And that calm, in a man as dangerous as Heiko Nightshade, was the most dangerous thing of all.
--
The halls of the Nightshade Castle echoed with the steady, deliberate footsteps of King Paul as he made his way toward the grand dining hall. Morning light spilled through the tall stained-glass windows, casting fragmented colors across the marb
