Returning to my chambers, I was greeted by silence, polished floors gleaming faintly under the moonlight. Normally, this quiet would have been a blessing, a chance to finally rest and recharge. But tonight, the calm felt oppressive. The bed was neat, the blankets tucked just so, yet the moment I sat down, my thoughts refused to obey.
The palace had a way of making every stone, every piece of furniture, and every shadow feel like it was watching you. And tonight, my imagination was running wild. The missing papers from the eastern wing were gnawing at my mind. Treasury ledgers, council records—gone. The palace knew, everyone knew, and the very thought of being implicated made my stomach twist.
