Madam Beckett sat beside Ryley and let out a long sigh.
"I know this is upsetting, but you need to calm down," she said softly, reaching for his hand and rubbing gentle reassurance into it.
Ryley did not pull away. Instead, he let her see the hurt in his eyes.
"Why?" he asked with a sneer. "Are you afraid I'll tell the Sovereign too?"
The old woman shook her head, voice steady.
"You may tell him whatever you wish after we know the full truth. I'll do what is necessary, and I won't shield Mervyn. Trust me."
That answer caught him off guard.
His brow furrowed. Some of the tightness in his chest eased, but wariness still lingered beneath his ribs.
"What will you do to him?"
A sharper light crossed her eyes.
"Mervyn's audacity comes from Morgan," she said. "He has always been arrogant because he gave birth to the eldest heir. I think sending Mervyn away—and separating him from Morgan—would finally teach him restraint."
