Larus stayed for a long while that first night, lingering in the quiet of Heena's chambers, reluctant to leave her side even for a moment. But her body was far from recovered, and though he desperately wanted to remain to ensure her safety, the weight of the new northern crisis demanded his immediate attention.
Reports had come in while Heena was in her coma—border skirmishes, diplomatic tensions with the northern territories, resource disputes that threatened to escalate into full conflict. It was the kind of situation that required someone with authority, intelligence, and the ability to think strategically under pressure.
Someone exactly like Larus.
