Sairis's POV
Sairis was aware of Loreen standing up beside him, the movement close enough to notice, but his focus did not shift. It stayed fixed on the man in front of him.
"Who?" Sairis whispered, his voice quieter than he intended.
The king smiled, but it was a sad one. Something tired. Something that carried memory.
"My…" King Markus began, then stopped, as if the word itself pained him to say. He exhaled softly before continuing. "The late queen. Loreen's mother."
Sairis's breath caught.
The room felt different again, but this time not with tension. Something softer, heavier, harder to name.
The king's eyes did not leave his.
"She spoke with confidence," King Markus said slowly. "And a boldness that ignored consequences."
There was a faint shake of his head, almost like disbelief at the memory. "It angered me more times than I can count. She never stopped to consider how dangerous her words could be."
He paused.
"I hated that about her."
